Blinding Madness: The FortyFourth Hunger Games
by ArtificialLove
Summary: With the Interviews over, the Games have begun. Let the 44th Hunger Games begin! ...*closed*
1. Tribute Form

**Okay, title says it all! This is an SYOT, so put on your thinking caps! I need interesting and mind-blowing tributes! Well, maybe not mind-blowing, but still! I am what you can call a "fast updater" and I'd like to get this started very soon. So I'd like a lot of tributes right off the bat. :D Fill out the form and send it in review or PM (I'd like PMs, personally).**

**Let me remind you, not all of them can be the victor! And some of them will be Bloodbath, so feel free to volunteer your character for it.**

**I need as much detail as possible about your tribute, so I can write them exactly as you envisioned them.**

FORM:

Full Name (unique, no Kyles or Marys):

Age:

District:

Skin color:

Physical (Eye color, hair, body):

Anything else about appearance?:

Gender (Male, Female):

Personality (DETAIL, more than one sentence):

Weapon Specialty:

Volunteered or Reaped?:

If they did, why did they volunteer?:

Any family?:

Strengths (not too many):

Weaknesses (MUST have at least three):

Reaction to being reaped/volunteered:

Want allies?:

Token:

Romance?:

Reaping Outfit:

Chariot Outfit (at least give me ideas):

Interview Outfit:

Anything else you'd like to tell me?:

**That's it. Yep. Now, copy and paste, fill it out, and send it! NOW. :P**

**I would like forms that I can read, please. I'm so picky, aren't I?**

**Tootles!**

**~ArtificialLove**


	2. Updated Tribute List

**There are only two spots left now, and after I get those tributes, then I'll be able to call this the 'Official Tribute List'! Aren't you as excited as I am? :D**

District 1:

Male-Crimson Night…created by **Jazzy273**

Female-Velvet Poise…created by **The Silver Panda**

District 2:

Male-Open

Female-September Carson…created by **The Lovely Psyche**

District 3:

Male-Felix Ramirez...created by **AnimeBean**

Female-Spider Cretz…created by **Pianoette**

District 4:

Male-Toshio Greyson…created by **Unknown123**

Female-Arabella Waters…created by **La Morgana**

District 5:

Male-Bronz Monthar...created by **jdejm**

Female-Lilith Green…created by **The Silver Panda**

District 6:

Male-Open

Female-Kamryn Middleton…created by **Team StarKid Potter**

District 7:

Male-Samuel Broomby(BB)…created by **Jazzy273**

Female-Alina McKennan…created by **AbbyL99**

District 8:

Male-Auberon Falconer...created by **AnimeBean**

Female-Paisley Hilliard…created by **Avoxgirl**

District 9:

Male-Drace Hallader...created by **Drace Hallader**

Female-Poe Chelle…created by **KateTheFanFictionist**

District 10:

Male-Callum Leake(BB)…created by **Jazzy273**

Female-Jylynn Trivin...created by **WhatsUrProblem**

District 11:

Male-Ellink "Link" Lamont...created by **HelloPoppet123**

Female-Gailia Farley…created by **dolphinxxgirlxx**

District 12:

Male-Phelan McCallister...created by **AnimeBean**

Female-Emily Grey(BB)…created by **Jazzy273**

**Submit a tribute while you still can! Don't miss out!**

**~ArtificialLove**


	3. District 1 Reapings

**Since I have both District 1 tributes, I went ahead and wrote the D1 Reapings. With a lot of help from The Lovely Psyche, here it is!**

**POV: Crimson Night**

Straightening my black vest, I walk out into the crisp afternoon. The sun is shining a bit, but the wind that is blowing has a faint chill to it. Today is Reaping Day, not that I really care. All I care about is making it through the day. I continue down the long street lined with people and turn the corner to go into the town square. Almost all of the women and girls turn to look at me, not hiding it at all. Knowing that they are all vying for my attention, I give them all a little wink before joining the other seventen-year-old boys. No one really talks to me all that much, besides girls and women, but they all give me appreciating nods. The atmosphere feels odd, not like any other Reaping I'd been to. The boys around me are chatting about a recent party that they'd been to, and I try to drown them out.

When the Peacekeepers got the crowd to calm down, our Capitol escort waddles up onto the stage. His name, from what I can remember, is Lucian Brazen. I think this is a very funny name, I probably would laugh about it later. But not now. Lucian has cerulean colored hair with tips of white. Is he imitating an ocean? I wouldn't know, I've never seen one. But he looks old, and his skin sags. Lucian's eyes seem to be sunken into his face, and are tinted with an orange color. He's not a pretty sight.

"Hello, people of District 1! I'm pleased to be your Capitol escort! May the odds be ever in your favor!" He chimes, and walks over to the boy's reaping ball. After announcing that he will pick from it, which is obvious, he fishes around in the ball. When he finally picks one, he calls out loud and clear,

"Crimson Night!"

No emotion, except understanding, passes through me as I walk calmly up the stage and stand by Lucian. He gives me a quick pat on the back before going over to the girl's reaping ball. I don't care about the Hunger Games. I'm just worried about the barber shop I work at, and who's going to take my place. Suddenly, I see my mother out in the crowd. Her eyes are wide, filled with surprise and concern. I give her a mean glare just before Lucian reaches into the girl's reaping ball. When Lucian pulls out a slip, his mouth opens to say a name, but a gleeful sounding voice calls,

"I volunteer!" A breathtakingly beautiful girl ascends the stage, very gracefully if I might add.

"Your name?" Lucian asks, smiling. But his smile just looks like another wrinkle.

"Velvet Poise." She says slowly, as if she's saying something important.

I can tell she is trying to intimidate me, but I've never been intimidated by a girl before. And this won't be the first. Mayor Starburst gives the Treaty of Treason, and then they shove us off stage and in the direction of the Justice Building. Then it registers to me that I'll have to see my mother, who will definitely insist on saying goodbye. Groaning, I slowly follow the Peacekeepers with Velvet by my side.

Much later, the Peacekeepers shove me into a ornate room. It's very nice, but I'm not really concentrated on my surroundings. About five minutes later, my mother walks through the door.

"Oh, son," She mutters, and silently makes her way to me. I put up a hand to stop her and say,

"Why are you here? You don't care. You may be my birth mother, but other than that, you're nothing to me." I know this hurts her, because tears spring in her eyes. She stays silent, she's never been very talkative. She is twisting her fingers together, as if trying to gain the courage to say something. Suddenly, she looks up and whispers,

"I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"For what?" I sneer, turning up my nose in disgust. It's true, my mother disgusts me.

"For not raising you better. Leaving you alone for long periods of time." I know she really is sorry, but my hate for her will never go away. A thought comes to my mind.

"Dad's not coming?"

"No." Is all she says. Sooner than I thought, a Peacekeeper barges in and ends the silence by saying,

"It's time to go, lady." My mother steps through the door without looking back. I didn't expect her to. So I silently wait for them to collect me. My eyes are fixated on painting that hangs on the wall opposite me; it's of Mayor Starurst and his wife, Claudia. I'm only staring at this because there's nothing else to look at. Then my current situation breaks into my dull thoughts, and reminds me about the Hunger Games.

I don't know why, but the thought of me dying doesn't bother me at all.

**POV: Velvet Poise**

I twirl my platinum blonde hair with my fingers. Anticipation and excitement surges through me. This is it. My ticket to fame. I am very impatient, and hurriedly make my way to the seventeen-year-old girl section. My family is in the crowd somewhere, just as excited as I am, and I look around for them. No luck. My outfit was starting to feel very tight; and I want this fat Capitol escort to stop talking. He's really quite annoying. As I wait, I fiddle with what will be my token; my red rose hairclip. I just can't wait to see the Capitol! The shining buildings as tall as the sky itself, the unique and entrancing people, endless parties, and-

The sound of the escort's voice brings me back to reality. I look up.

"We'll do boys first this year!" Lucian, that's his name, states and walks over to the boys' reaping ball.

This should be fun. Getting to see one of my future allies. A name is called, and it's Crimson Night, one of the most handsome boys in District 1. He can't possibly win, and I rule him out as a threat because to me, he doesn't look well-fed or confident at all. After Lucian goes over to the girl's reaping ball, I ready myself. My limbs are tingling with excitement. Before he can read the name, I shout,

"I volunteer!" My voice sounds happy, just the right word to describe how I'm feeling. Putting on my best smirk, I coolly glide my way up the stairs and next to Crimson.

"Your name?" Lucian asks me, with a very big smile.

"Velvet Poise," I put much emphasis on each syllable.

Crimson and I shake hands, and I meet his eyes with my icy gaze. His calmness never goes away. I find him quite creepy. Our mayor, Mayor Starburst, gives the Treaty of Treason and I really don't pay attention because all I can think about is what will follow in the next few days. After that, we are whisked away to the Justice Building to say our goodbyes. But they won't be goodbyes for me.

When we arrive at the Justice Building, a Peacekeeper shows me to a large and cozy looking room. I thank him, and wait for the arrival of my family. I hear footsteps on the wood floor a while later. My brother, Blitzen, comes through the doors first. Then he is followed by my mother and father and then finally my little sister, Glitter.

"Oh honey, I know you'll make us proud! I love you so much!" My mother cries, clasping her hands together. My father just smiles like an idiot, because he is one. Blitzen just holds me tight, but I know he's not crying. I think he is actually very happy for me. Glitter is giggling like a school-girl, but I know she just can't wait to see me kill all 23 tributes in the arena. After much chatter, a Peacekeeper rounds up my family, and they all leave as happy as clams.

Finally, I let my confident facade fade. I need to start planning how I'm going to win the Hunger Games, and become the most famous tribute from District 1.

**Please leave a review and tell me what you think! Also include any critiquing that will help me.**

**Tired and heavy-eyed,**

**~ArtificialLove**


	4. Author's Note 1

**This is an Author's Note! I have written a lot more, and I'd like to post it, but I'd also like to go in District order. I.E., District 2 comes next, but I have no male for that district! The tribute submissions have stopped, and I only need 2 more! I'm an eager writer, a fast updater, and an impatient person. So, any tribute submissions will make me smile, and it will be one step closer to the next update.**

**I caught strep throat, so I'm staying home from school today and tomorrow, plus there's the weekend. Guess what I did all day? I wrote so much, my eyes hurt from looking at the screen.**

**Trust me, I'm NOT one of those authors that just quit a story because they become bored with it, get writer's block, or for any other reason. I also will tell you if there will be any delays in any updates in the future, but I'm good at juggling my personal life and my new story here.**

**So, in short, I need 2 more tributes, updates will come fast, and I'm ready to officially start!**

**From the lovely,**

**~ArtificialLove**

**P.S. Thank you for all of the awesome reviews, those of you who sent them. Every review adds a ray of sunshine to my day, and so far, my day is pretty rainy with strep throat and all. Anyone got an umbrella? XD**


	5. Official Tribute List!

***Big trumpet intro* It gives me great pleasure to say this: Enjoy reading the Official Tribute List!**

District 1:

Male-Crimson Night…created by **Jazzy273**

Female-Velvet Poise…created by **The Silver Panda**

District 2:

Male-Marble Roland…created by **Bumblebee27**

Female-September Carson…created by **The Lovely Psyche**

District 3:

Male-Felix Ramirez...created by **AnimeBean**

Female-Spider Cretz…created by **Pianoette**

District 4:

Male-Toshio Greyson…created by **Unknown123**

Female-Arabella Waters…created by **La Morgana**

District 5:

Male-Bronz Monthar...created by **jdejm**

Female-Lilith Green…created by **The Silver Panda**

District 6:

Male-Ginkgo Wyde(BB)…created by **Bumblebee27**

Female-Kamryn Middleton…created by **Team StarKid Potter**

District 7:

Male-Samuel Broomby(BB)…created by **Jazzy273**

Female-Alina McKennan…created by **AbbyL99**

District 8:

Male-Auberon Falconer...created by **AnimeBean**

Female-Paisley Hilliard…created by **Avoxgirl**

District 9:

Male-Drace Hallader(BB)...created by **Drace Hallader**

Female-Poe Chelle…created by **KateTheFanFictionist**

District 10:

Male-Callum Leake(BB)…created by **Jazzy273**

Female-Jylynn Trivin...created by **WhatsUrProblem**

District 11:

Male-Ellink "Link" Lamont...created by **HelloPoppet123**

Female-Gailia Farley(BB)…created by **dolphinxxgirlxx**

District 12:

Male-Phelan McCallister...created by **AnimeBean**

Female-Emily Grey(BB)…created by **Jazzy273**

**I needed SOME bloodbath tributes, so if I picked yours, don't track me down and beat me up. XD**

**Thanks to everyone who submitted a tribute, or even multiple tributes! I send each of you virtual hugs! Expect an update tomorrow, or maybe even 2 updates! **

**I'm exhausted, my throat hurts really bad, and it's time for me to get a well-deserved rest. :)**

**~ArtificialLove**


	6. District 2 Reapings

**Okay, this took me a while. I promised you guys an update, so here it is!**

**POV: September Carson**

"Remember what I told you," My father says to me, and I nod out of respect, because he always scolds me for not listening to him. He had told me many times about his reapings, and I know exactly how to play mine. My two brothers are with him, but they are as silent as stones. I turn swiftly, and walk towards the town square, my icy blue eyes gleaming. My sapphire colored tunic sways as I walk, and the black leggings I'm wearing adds the "pizzazz" to my outfit.

My head is held high as I walk into the town square, and I'm filled with fierce determination. Finally, after all of my years of training, I'll be volunteering for the Hunger Games to bring even more glory to my family - the Carsons. The crowd of eighteen-year-old girls all turn to look at me as I near them. Many of them wanted to enter this year, but it's a Carson year. My year. A cold smile appears on my face, as I look at the others. Many of them feel inferior to me, I know, and they should. But all of them respond with a terse nod or just look away. A few boys pass by me, and they look at me longer than they should, so I throw daggers at them with my eyes. I hear them say, "She's a Carson…" or something like that. A chilling wind is blowing, making my eyes sting. I focus my attention on the stage, because I see that the Capitol escort is trying to get everyone's attention. He introduces himself as Ebenezer Sonnet, a very slim middle-aged man with lime green hair. He is dressed in a ridiculous purple suit with feathers hanging off his shoulders. His lips are puffy and are pursed in an unflattering way. His nose is very pointy, and extremely large. He reminds me of a crow. An ugly one. I hear a few muffled laughs from behind me, and then a "shh!". If they don't keep quiet, I'm going to have to talk to them myself; no one's going to ruin this for me.

"Hello, District 2 inhabitants! I'm the Capitol escort this year for the Forty-Fourth Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!" He calls out to the crowd in a very high-pitched voice, tinted with the Capitol accent. He struts over to the girl's reaping ball and wastes no time in picking a slip. I nod to myself, I'm eager to volunteer because I was born into a line of Victors and I've spent my entire life dreaming about this moment. He reads the name,

"Felicia Marcrown!" I know this girl; I've seen her at the training grounds once or twice. She's a pretty decent fighter, but she'll have to wait another year if she wants to go into the Hunger Games. I see her start to emerge from the crowd, and I decide that it's about time I volunteered. I coolly raise my hand with deliberation before calling out,

"I volunteer!" Knowing that no one will fight me for the spot, I put on my poker face and push my way through the crowd and up the creaky stairs to stand next to Ebenezer on the stage.

"Wonderful! Your name, dear girl?" Ebenezer exclaims, looking at the cameras for a second to be sure that they caught the interaction. I turn to face him and respond without much emotion,

"September Carson," He seems to recognize my last name because he widens his eyes and says,

"A Carson is entering this year? Well, we already know who the Victor will be," A good-natured laugh follows, and he flashes the cameras another smile. By him saying this, I just had to smile, but only a little bit. My long hair that falls in loose waves blows in the wind, and I can tell that it's getting messed up. Though I don't care much about my looks, it's quite irritating that it keeps blowing in my face. Ebenezer apparently doesn't find me good company, because he quickly makes his way over to the boy's reaping ball.

"How exciting! Let's pick from the boys next!" Ebenezer says even louder, and snatches a slip out of the ball. I'm interested to see who the boy will be; and to analyze any faults that he might have. It's useful to know an ally's faults, so future plans in the arena can be executed with precision. When Ebenezer picks from the boy's reaping ball, he pauses for a dramatic effect. I wait with patience, patience often is the key.

"Medai McQuinn!" This is a name I've never heard before, but before 'Medai' can come forward, a deep but calm sounding voice calls,

"I volunteer!" A stone-faced boy, staring straight ahead, emerges from the seventeen's section. Boys start to race after him and for a moment I think they are going to fight over the spot, but he gives them such a glare that they back away like dogs with their tails in between their legs. After that, the boy resumes his slow march up to the stage. His hair has a reddish tint to it, and his eyes are a dull brown that looks like dung. He has a number of large muscles that show through his thin shirt. Ebenezer laughs again, which irritates me, and says,

"Ah, there we go. Didn't want those boys to steal your glory, did you?" The boy doesn't answer, and doesn't even look at Ebenezer. He just stares off into the distance, like something is out there. Ebenezer looks unfazed, and simply just asks the boy's name. It takes him a while, but he mutters slowly,

"…Marble Roland." Ebenezer nods and walks to the center of the stage again. He calls out with such enthusiasm that he was almost screaming,

"There you have it! The District 2 tributes for the Forty-Fourth Hunger Games!" He takes his leave, and then our graying old mayor, Mayor Rever, reads the same boring speech I'd heard all my life, year after year. They force Marble and I to shake hands, and his face is calm and unflinching. He remains quiet, and observant. But after that, I'm led to the Justice Building with Marble by my side, though I barely register that he's there.

Our Justice Building is a flat roundish shape, and it doesn't have many floors. It's pretty well decorated, but I've barely been inside it. The Peacekeeper shows me to my room first, and then takes Marble with him. I silently wait for my father and my brothers; they are coming to drill me on strategies one last time. It takes some time for them to arrive, but when they do, they enter and take seats next to me on the sofa I'm lounging on.

"Congratulations, September." My three brothers tell me, one by one. Then my father asks me many questions, and I answer them all correctly. During my quiz, my father gives me my leather cuff bracelet that has my name engraved on it.

"You forgot it. Next question…" I'm glad that my father brought it, it means a lot to me. After I answer the last question he throws at me, he nods with his arms across his chest.

"You make me proud. You'll do well, September." The Peacekeeper comes to collect my father and brothers. After they're gone, I'm left to my own devices for a while.

One of the things I've anticipated with every waking moment is here; and now I'll be focusing one-hundred percent on the other thing I've been anticipating: the arena.

**POV: Marble Roland**

I finish the remains of my breakfast and scoot back my chair. I'm sitting at my dining room table, eating what will probably be my last meal in District 2. My mother sits across from me, my father to my left, and Aunt Geola is to my right. I stand up, but it's my aunt that speaks,

"Well, are you going to the reaping?" I just nod my head yes, and she says,

"Go on ahead; we'll be there a bit later." Mother gives me a wave, and my father keeps wolfing down his food. Making sure that my red bandana that is, my token, was safely in my pocket, I head out into the grim midmorning.

It's time to put my plan into motion. The plan I've had since I was sixteen, to volunteer for the Hunger Games. A year ago, I was sent to the quarries to work, and things haven't being going good since then. The only thing I've gained since then is muscles, and a lot of strength that I didn't have before. I'm not going to live long as a quarry worker, and I might as well enter the Hunger Games. If I win, life will better for not only me, but for my family. And if I die in the arena, my parents won't have to worry about me anymore.

I walk slowly across the many cobble-stoned sidewalks, and arrive at the town square. With every step, more and more people start to show up, and it gets overly crowded. I walk straight to the seventeen-year-old boys' section and wait for the Capitol escort to speak. Nobody from my section is talking, it may e a possibility that they are planning to volunteer as well; but I can handle that if the situation arises. I'm thinking about how I should act when I volunteer, and decide that being my natural self, which is always silent, would be the best approach. Finally, a man that resembles a bird steps center stage and tells us that his name is Ebenezer Sonnet and his voice is so high-pitched that if I hadn't seen him earlier, I would have thought it was a little girl that was speaking. I run my fingers through my brown tinted hair one last time, I didn't really have much time to fix it, and all I can do is hope it looks presentable. When Ebenezer pulls a slip from the girl's reaping ball, he states that it reads, 'Felicia Marcrown'. I have heard her name in school once, but other than that, I have no clue who that is.

When a girl begins to come from the crowd, another girl calls out with a confident voice,

"I volunteer!" A rather ravishing girl roughly pushes her way through the crowd and hastily goes up onto the stage.

"Wonderful! What is your name, dear girl?" Ebenezer asks, glancing at the cameras. The girl says her name is September Carson. Everyone knows the Carsons; they're a family full of Victors and no Carson has ever been killed in the Games. Yet, I think. Ebenezer says something else, but I'm too lost in thought to hear it. I often miss a lot of things people say, because usually I'm busy thinking about one thing or another. When I look at the stage again, Ebenezer has his hand in the boy's reaping ball, and is retracting a slip of paper. It's getting near my time to volunteer, so I'm ready to fight for the spot at any time.

"Medai McQuinn!" Approximately five seconds later, I called out loudly but calmly that I would volunteer. I look straight ahead and people clear a path for me to get through. September is watching me intently; I feel her eyes on me. I hear thumping footsteps behind me, too close for comfort. Knowing that they are boys and that they're about to strike, so I quickly turn and give them a glare. They stop in their tracks, and beat a hasty retreat back into the crowd. I continue my walk to the stage, take the steps and I go to stand by September's side.

"Ah, there we go. Didn't want those boys to steal your glory, did you?" Ebenezer asks me, but I ignore him and choose to scan the crowd for my family. Ebenezer just pretends he didn't ask me that question and then asks me what my name is. Taking a little pause before answering, I reply,

"…Marble Roland." He nods and walks to the front of the stage now.

"There you have it! The District 2 tributes for the Forty-Fourth Hunger Games!" He says very loudly, and quickly walks off the stage. Mayor Rever gives the speech we've all heard many times already, and then September and I have to shake hands. I try to maintain my calm attitude. A Peacekeeper with blond hair leads us to the Justice Building.

I've never been inside it, and when I step inside, I feel out of place because everything is nicely decorated and orderly. The Peacekeeper shows September to a room, and then he takes me to one two doors down from it. I eagerly await to see my family. My father, mother, and then Aunt Geola shuffle into the room. I see that my mother is already in tears. She sits next to me on the sofa, with her head in her hands. Father is the first one to say something, which surprises me because we're alike; we both hate talking.

"Marble, you're certain you want to do this?" He asks, seriously.

"Yes, I'm very sure." I say, though I was expecting him to ask me why I volunteered, but I'm relieved I don't have to explain my reasons to him. Aunt Geola pats my shoulder, I can tell she's too shocked to speak, because otherwise she'd be talking up a storm.

We sit in silence for the rest of the time, the only noise is my mother's sobs. The same Peacekeeper comes and says that my family's time is up. I wish we could have more time, even though we don't say anything, their presence is comforting. A while after they left, I ponder about whether I had made the right decision.

The odds are in my favor, and I have a great chance of winning.

Of course I made the right decision.

**Alright, here's how the other reapings are going:**

**D3- COMPLETE, currently being edited, to be posted soon**

**D4-COMPLETE, being edited, to be posted soon**

**That's all the reaping chapters I'll be doing. Starting with District 5, it will be train rides!**

**My beta is The Lovely Psyche, she's such a great help! If you ever need a beta, I highly recomend her.**

**Please read and review, people! Tell me what you think!**

**~ArtificialLove**


	7. District 3 Reapings

**Here is the District 3 reapings! :D**

**POV: Felix Ramirez**

The day is perfect; with a slight breeze blowing over District 3. Or, it would be perfect, if it weren't a Reaping Day. I walk out into the tiny dining room to meet my older brother, Antonio, for some breakfast. He's well past reaping age, so he doesn't have to worry about whether or not he'll be reaped anymore. My parents had died when I was twelve, when Factory 12-24 had collapsed. Ever since then, my brother and I have lived alone, in a tiny apartment block.

"Are you nervous, Felix?" Antonio asks, but I know he's teasing because of his voice. I take a seat at the table before answering, and then I say,

"No, the probability of my name being picked out of thousands of others is low." I begin to eat my food and Antonio shakes his head and joins me. Afterwards, he sends me to my room to get ready for the reaping.

I just throw on my dark blue shirt and black pants; I really don't have anything special to wear because we're not the richest people. Nobody in District 3 is. I run the brush through my black hair twice before going to the door of the apartment. Antonio is there, waiting impatiently. Then without much talking, we took the cement stairs and not the elevator, because it was rumored that our apartment elevator is unstable.

We exit the building, and people are starting to gather in the town square that was only a short walk away. From where I stand, I can see the stage and the reaping balls ready to be picked from. The thought of being picked and sent into the Capitol and then the arena is horrifying to me. But like I said, it's not likely. Antonio directs me to the seventeen-year-old section and leaves me to join the crowd of adults and little children. The guys around me are nervously talking about the weather, but I'm not in the mood to join them.

Our Capitol escort, with frightening yellow colored hair that reminds me of a lightning bolt, is trying to speak, and the people all quiet down. She says her name is Contessa Grefner, and that she's happy to be our Capitol escort. But we all know she's mad she got stuck with a lame District.

"Let's get started with the girls!" Contessa squeals, but it sounds like fake enthusiasm. She's over doing it because when she goes to the reaping ball, she skips. It's funny to see. Well, she's from the Capitol and has probably never experienced sadness, so I guess it's normal for her to skip. Doing a little pirouette, she picks from it and calls out sweetly,

"Spider Cretz!" Oh, it's the girl they call the 'itsy bitsy spider.' No one really likes her, and she barely talks, so everyone thinks she's stuck up. I still feel bad for her though, no one deserves to die.

Spider has her brown hair fixed in a sloppy bun, with a few hairs sticking out here and there. As she walks from the fourteen section, I can see her hyperventilating a little bit, and tears are forming under her brown eyes. But she does make an attempt to climb the stairs even though she is shaking heavily. Contessa wraps an arm around her and says quietly,

"Wow, look at that! Tears of joy! Any volunteers?" No one answers her, so she shrugs and releases Spider to go over to the boy's reaping ball. I lower my head and clasp my hands and hope that it isn't me that's picked. But Contessa calls out,

"Felix Ramirez!" At the sound of my own name, a little gasp escapes my lips. Every eye turns to look at me, and a couple boys push me towards the stage. Every step is an effort, because I just can't believe it. I mount the steps very unsteadily and I go stand by Spider, who is shaking heavily. After she asks for volunteers, and receiving none, Contessa blows a kiss to the crowd and says,

"These are the District 3 tributes for the Forty-Fourth Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor!" She walks off the stage, normally this time, and Mayor Romex drums the Treaty of Treason in his slow raspy voice. When Spider and I shake hands, she looks into my eyes. I look into hers, and she looks desperate and scared. I'm both of those things, but I'm careful not to show it on the outside. We're led to the Justice Building, and I'm confined into a room to wait for Antonio, who will probably be my only visitor. When he shows up, he wastes no time and says,

"Impossible. Just this morning we were talking about how it was unlikely you would be reaped!" He babbles on and on, and I just stare at him. If I die in the Games, which will probably happen, Antonio will be all alone.

"You're smart, Felix. You'll really try to win, won't you?" He prods, and I nod. A Peacekeeper comes a while later, and I'm sad that Antonio wasted our time by yelling. It also dawns on me that this will probably be the last time I see my brother.

I pray that it isn't.

**POV: Spider Cretz**

I'm tying my oil-stained apron around me, when my mother calls to me from downstairs,

"Come on, Spider, why do you take so long?" I sigh. Why does mom have to be so impatient? I throw my hair up and twist it into a weird looking bun, but it doesn't really matter how it looks. It's not like I'm going to be reaped. My eight year old brother, Cord, is waiting for me out in the hall, dressed in his best. I open the door, smile at him, and we join hands as we walk down the stairs.

My father is happily sipping coffee, standing by the open door, and my mother is at the bottom of the steps, tapping her foot. Her face relaxes when she sees us, and she ushers us out the door.

My mom is always eager to get a reaping over with; it's a waste of time to her. My dad I acting very strange today, because as he walks alongside us, he's whistling. Maybe he got a raise at the factory, but he never talks about his work so I wouldn't know. Mom and Dad are avoiding each other, I had heard them arguing last night about how there isn't a money for food.

When we reach the town square, I release my brother's hand and go to stand with the fourteens. I see all of the girls there giggling and laughing. I wish I could have best friends like that, to laugh with and joke with. One of the girls there notices that I'm staring at them with envy, and they began to whisper silently about me. The tallest one shouts at me,

"What're you looking at, Itsy Bitsy Spider?" All the girls burst out laughing, and I turn my head in embarrassment. I walk a little bit away, to escape the crowd of mean girls. The Capitol escort spins towards the middle of the stage and says,

"Hello District 3! I'm Contessa Grefner! I'm so happy to be your Capitol escort! Let's get started with the girls!" Contessa squeals, and skips over to the girl's reaping ball. I'm thinking about my latest invention, little spider bots that help me with things. I need to work on it when I get home. I didn't notice that Contessa had picked a name,

"Spider Cretz!" I realize that that's my name! I take a deep breath, and awkwardly make my way to the stage. I can't stop shaking, and my vision is blurred by incoming tears. Contessa puts her arm around me and says,

"Wow, look at that! Tears of joy! Are there any volunteers?" She asks the crowd, but no one comes to take my place. She shrugs and bounces over to the boy's reaping ball. After no volunteer came forward, tears almost spill over, but I keep it under control. How could this be? Contessa retracts a slip from the reaping ball, and calls out,

"Felix Ramirez!" A gasp is heard from the crowd, and a boy is pushed forward. He takes a long time to mount the steps and join me on the stage. I just can't stop shaking, and Felix tries not to stand too close to me.

"Any volunteers for Felix?" Contessa asks quickly, but doesn't wait for one. She blows a quick kiss to the crowd, and let's Mayor Romex give the Treaty of Treason while I shake hands with Felix. They take us away to the Justice Building, and it all seems a bit rushed. But I'm glad to get away from the crowd, and now I'll be able to cry. My family is brought in, and I quickly wipe my tears away.

"Spider, I love you." Mom says, and hugs me tightly. Dad has a shocked expression, and he's not whistling anymore. Cord sits next to me, and his arms are around my neck. He seems to want to say something, but either he can't think of anything, or he's too stunned. He doesn't understand the Games and how it works too well, so I'm not surprised when he asks,

"You're coming back, right?" Even I can't think of anything to say to this, so I mutter,

"Cord, I don't know." My voice trembles and cracks at the last word. Crying doesn't suit me, but I can't help it. The same Peacekeeper comes in and says,

"Come on, let's go." They all look back once, and Cord gives me a kiss on the cheek before the Peacekeeper has to drag him out. I feel trapped.

I'm a spider, trapped in a web.

**Hopefully you guys liked that chapter! Here's how the other ones are going-**

**D4 Reapings-COMPLETE, still being edited**

**D5 Train Ride- COMPLETE, being edited**

**D6 Train Ride- IN PROGRESS**

**Sorry for the delay, I had a last minute English paper to write D:**

**~ArtificialLove**


	8. Arena Poll

**I know, you guys logged on and saw a new chapter and were like, "Yay!" only to run into this. I was having a tough time coming up with the arena. But I did come up with three different arenas I think would be awesome, but I can't decide which one to use.**

**So, vote for your favorite arena and the one that has the most votes wins! :D**

**Haunted Woods-** A creepy arena where the sky is always dark and the grass is a funky green color. Owls hoot in the trees that sometimes give off a tribute's location. Your tribute can't tell if it's day or night, or what time it is. The river that flows is poisoned, and the only water supply your tribute can trust is the water from the Cornucopia, rain drops, or water given to you by sponsors. Your tribute can find food in the packs provided at the Cornucopia, hunt for it, or take their chances by eating the strange berries that grow on the bushes. There are mutations that circle the woods and they attack if they hear footfall. They are a mix of a bear and tiger. The trees that make up the haunted wood are black and have no leaves. The branches are thick and pointy, but the trunk is hollow; which makes a good hiding place if your tribute can get into it. Sometimes your tribute will hear wolves howling, but your tribute won't run into them unless they go to the edge of the woods. The Cornucopia is in the center of the woods, and has many supplies that will help your tribute survive the scary, and unimaginable horrors found in this particular arena.

**Volcanic Valley-** An extremely hot arena with volcanoes in the background. Finding water will be difficult for your tribute, but in the cliff-sides, there are caves that have springs of water. It's not poisonous. After about a week in the arena, or even sooner, volcanoes will start to go off. They are too far away to do any damage, but the lava coming out gets closer by the day. Your tribute can find food by killing the pigeons that fly mindlessly in circles all day, get it from the packs at the Cornucopia, steal it from others, or eat the strange insects that crawl out cracks in the ground occasionally. The scenery in this arena is not pretty at all, and the ground is an ashen red color covered with rocks and tumbleweeds. The sky is a muddy blue, clouded by the smoke from the volcanoes. There aren't any mutations, natural disasters is the theme for this arena.

**Frozen Forest(this is my least favorite)- **A forest almost completely coved in ice, not snow. Hence "frozen" forest. Water can be found easier in this arena, you can just melt some ice and drink it. It's very slippery in this arena, so it will be difficult to battle. There is barely any grass, but most of it is dead. It can get VERY frigid at night, and it's hard to get warm even in the daytime. A special breed has been constructed for this arena, a woolly mammoth. Food can be found in the packs, and your tribute can kill animals in the woods, or eat the rare nuts that are up high in the trees.

**These are the options! Vote for the one you like best, and if nobody votes, it will make me very sad. :'( Nah, just kidding. :D I hope you guys liked them.**

**~ArtificialLove**


	9. District 4 Reapings

**So, without further ado, here are the District 4 Reapings!**

**POV: Arabella Waters**

I check my reflection in the mirror one last time, examining my black hair that I had placed in a bun. My father calls me down; and I know that it's almost time for reapings. I plan to volunteer this year, because I want a better life for my parents. We may live a prosperous district, we're not one of the richest families, and my parents are struggling. I'm sure they'll be surprised, but they have confidence in me. So I swiftly straighten my blue shirt and take the stairs and glide into the living room. My mother, Sylvia Waters, is sitting on the couch waiting for me.

"There you are, silly girl. We'd best get a move on." She gives me a quick smile and we join my father at the door. He ruffles my hair, mussing it up even more. I sigh and let it be, and then we all head off towards the town square. When we arrive, I give them a quick wave and go to the seventeen-year-old girl section. The shirt I'm wearing shows a little bit of my back, and I hope that my scar shows, so it makes me look fierce. The girls there, some of them friends, come up to me and we strike up a conversation about school. If they knew I was going to volunteer, I'm sure that the conversation would be much different. As the girls mindlessly chatter, I think about how my parents might react. I hope they take it well. The Capitol escort walks up on the stage, but she's so thin, I'm surprised the wind doesn't blow her away. She looks like a human skeleton, with glowing purple hair and eyes that change color every five seconds. When she speaks, her voice sounds quiet and unenthusiastic,

"Greetings, District 4. I am Pollyneux Appleby. I will serve as your escort to the Capitol. May the odds be ever in your favor. First, let's start with the girls." She makes her way to the girl's reaping ball, and sticks her bony hand in it. With a little trouble, because it looks like she doesn't have much strength, she pulls out a crinkled slip. She makes much effort to call out loudly,

"Leona Rosin!" A tall and lanky girl, slowly at first, makes her way through the fourteens section. When she reaches the stage, I call out loudly,

"I volunteer as tribute!" Leona turns, surprised. She doesn't move, but I still weave my way through the crowd and push past her. Leona's look turns from surprised to grateful, and she quickly runs away and disappears into the crowd. I am smiling and have a proud look in my eyes as I stand by Pollyneux and steady my gaze on the cameras. Pollyneux looks at me, and somehow she seems a little annoyed. Why would she have any reason to be annoyed? She says, barely in a whisper,

"Your name?" I meet her eyes and say proudly,

"Arabella Waters." While I say my name, she frowns deeply, making her face look bony. Why should she frown at my name? Does she not like me already? Right now, the color of her eyes is green. A little fearful excitement passes through me, but it doesn't show. At least I hope it doesn't.

"Now the boys," She says, but more to herself then the crowd. With her high-heels clicking on the wood stage, she reaches the boy's reaping ball. Pulling out a slip and reading it quickly she calls, "Toshio Greyson!" I look around the boys section to see who would come forth. But the sea breeze just blows, and sweeps across the silent crowd. Finally, a boy with an unreadable expression comes forward, from the seventeen-year-old section. From up on the stage, I can see that he is very attractive and tall. So this is my District partner. I watch him as he climbs the stage and stands next to me. He stands stiff, as if he doesn't know what to do.

"Are there any volunteers?" Pollyneux asks, breaking into my thoughts. But the crowd remains quiet, and I hear a cough.

"There you have it. I present you the tributes from District 4." She says, facing the cameras. Her monotone voice is really bringing down my mood. Usually Capitol escorts are happy-go-lucky and they are excited. Why is she so unemotional? I feel a hand on my arm, and I turn to see a young Peacekeeper telling me to shake hands with Toshio. When I do, his hand is cold and I jump back just a little when I feel it. I look up into Toshio's eyes and as soon as I do that he looks away. After Mayor Vessel gives the Treaty of Treason, the same Peacekeeper from earlier leads us off the stage and into the Justice Building. We take the old and rusty elevator up to the fourth floor and they show me into the first room we come to. The room is very nice; it's decorated with coral from the ocean. I take a seat on an ocean colored loveseat and wait for my parents. I wonder how vicious my fellow tributes will be. As I'm wondering about those things, my parents enter so quietly that at first I didn't realize that they had come. The sound of my mother's voice is what alerts me,

"Arabella, why did you volunteer?" She asks, and I notice her voice cracks at the last word. She sits down next to me and gathers me in her arms. My father stands there, looking at us with a sad smile.

"There's no going back, you know. But I believe you can win it, Bella," He finally says, with his hands in his pockets. My mother pulls back from our hug and I see that she's holding something shiny and round.

"Titan, I'm going to give her the bracelet. The one you gave me so long ago." She places a beautiful bracelet that's a beautiful shade of turquoise. It has tiny dolphins on it, jumping in the waves. I will enjoy having this as my token, I'm sure that whenever I look at it, it'll remind me of my parents. I'm also very happy that they're taking this well.

"I'll be sure to return it to you when I come back a Victor," I smile at them, and they both laugh. A Peacekeeper barges in suddenly and says that it's time for them to leave. I'm very sad to see them go, and I'm sure I see a tear in my mother's eye. When the door closes, I'm alone again.

I wait for them to come get me, and as I do, I promise myself that I will come back to District 4 alive and not in a wooden box.

**POV: Toshio Greyson**

I walk out of the house and go directly to the town square. I always hated Reaping Day, and I want to get this one over with. It's quite windy, and I wish I had worn something other than my button up shirt and jeans. But it's too late to change now. My hair is messy, and the wind sure isn't helping it. I quickly go to my section, and I hope that my sister, Vivian, and my father are in the crowd by now. Because if they're not, they'll be given a fee for not showing up and we really can't afford that right now. The boys around me are talking about how nervous they are, but chances are, they won't be reaped. We've had all volunteers for the past four years now. After a while, a stick figure of a woman stepped forward on the stage. She introduced herself as Pollyneux Appleby, and I feel sorry for her because that's such an awful name. Pollyneux struggled to get a name from the girl's reaping ball, but when she did she called out,

"Leona Rosin!" A think I know this girl, she's a quiet fourteen-year-old that I see at school occasionally. When she slowly makes her way to the stage, someone calls out,

"I volunteer as tribute!" A pretty girl with her black hair worn in a bun quickly goes through the crowd and pushes past Leona. She gives off a proud vibe, and to me, she seems like a regular Career. Pollyneux looks irritated and I barely hear her ask,

"Your name?"

"Arabella Waters." Pollyneux doesn't respond to her, she just says that she will pick from the boys now. Immediately snatching a slip, she calls out,

"Toshio Greyson!" No way. A minute passes, and I just stand there, dumbstruck. A moaning wind passes, and then someone nudges me with their elbow. I make sure to drain my face of any emotion, and then I hesitantly make my way towards the stage. Part of me wants to believe that a volunteer will take my place, but the doubting side of me says that I'll be a tribute this year. When I finally reach Arabella and turn to face the crowd, Polyneux asks,

"Are there any volunteers?" I wait stiff and breathless for one. But all I hear is the faint sound of the waves crashing in the ocean nearby. So this is it. Father and my sister Vivian will be devastated, because the odds are that I won't be coming back. I'm forced to shake hands with Arabella, and when she tries to look into my grey eyes, I dart them away and stare at a palm tree that is behind the makeshift stage.

A Peacekeeper guides us to the Justice Building, and we ride on the rusty elevator. He takes Arabella to one room, and then he points to a door down the hall. He's telling me to go in there, I think. So when I do, I sit down on one of the oak chairs surrounding a tiny table. My father and Vivian arrive, and they are both crying.

"How can this be? I was so sure that there would be a volunteer this year…" My father says quietly, sniffing. Vivian won't let go of me, and she's drenching my shirt with her tears.

"Swear that you'll win? Swear!" She cries, her voice muffled. I don't know what to do, because I know that I won't win. But I decide to give her hope.

"I swear, Viv." I whisper to her, and she looks up at me with her tear-stained face. She stuffs something in my hand and runs out of the room, sobbing. With a closer examination, I see that it's my necklace that has a ring attached to it. My mother gave me this, a short time before she died. I grasp it tightly, it gives me comfort to have it.

"I'll see you soon, son." My father mutters, puts a hard hand on my shoulder, and then takes his leave.

I'm a bit shaken, because I had just seen my strong father and my little sister cry. But I'm determined to see them again someday.

**And, that ends the Reaping Chapters! Eek, that was bad wasn't it? But the next chapter will be MUCH better, I promise, because the District 5 tributes will be having a romance. :D **

**Here's how the other chapters are going-**

**District 5 train ride- Complete, being edited, probably going to be posted tomorrow**

**District 6 train ride- Almost done**

**District 7 train ride- Just started writing it**

**Oh, and here's how the arena poll is going:**

**Haunted Woods- 6 votes (I'm surprised you guys like this one.)**

**Volcanic Valley- 1 vote (I thought this one would be the most popular.) **

**Frozen Forest- 0 votes (...) :P**

**Sorry for the long Author's Note here. XD**

**~ArtificialLove**


	10. District 5 Train Ride

**Here you go! :)**

**POV: Bronz Monthar**

I'm still in shock, even after hours of being on the train. Terror, is still as fresh as it was when my name was called. But luckily, I had been able to pull it together and what I was feeling inside didn't show on the outside. It didn't help that my brothers had tried to hold me back. I'm on the train now, in what is supposed to be my room. I think that lying down will make me feel better, but as soon as I do, there's a knock on the door. Thymine Tipe, the one and only Victor from District 5 that will be our mentor, calls in,

"Come on, Bronz! Come get some food!" I then hear her light footsteps walking away. So much for relaxing for a while. Getting up, I exit my room and go on a search for the dining car. It didn't take me long to find it. Lilith, my district partner, is quietly picking at her meal and Thymine is sitting across from her. The only available seat is next to Gunther Baton, District 5's Capitol escort, so I reluctantly lower myself in the chair. No one's taking or saying anything, so I decide to lighten the mood a bit,

"So, Lilith, how are you?" I thought I was being polite, but Lilith just looks at me like I've insulted her. Thymine ignores what've said and says,

"Let's talk about strategies. District 5 really needs another Victor, but by just looking at you, I can tell that neither of you has what it takes to win." She crosses her arms and looks at me expectantly.

"Why do you say that?" I ask, because I think I have a great chance of surviving. I have decent sized muscles, and some basic survival skills.

"Lilith here started to cry when she got on the train, and your poker face at the Reaping had some cracks in it. When you've been a mentor for as long as I have, you know who has potential and who doesn't." She finishes, and I hear Lilith sniffle. I couldn't stand it if she started crying again. I won't let Thymine get to me, so I say,

"What about you? How did you win your Games?" She flinches, as if remembering her time in the arena is hard for. She closes her eyes before saying,

"I outlasted the others. An avalanche took out the last of the tributes, and I suppose I just got lucky." Thymine shook her head and pushed a black hair out of her face. Gunther finally looked up and said in his deep voice,

"I suggest we watch the recap of the reapings. That would be a good time to talk about strategies." We all seem to agree, so we head for the TV room. I'm interested to see who my fellow tributes will be, and maybe even possible allies. We all settled on the couches, which are so soft I could fall asleep right here. Lilith chose to sit next to me, and not Thymine, and that kind of surprised me because at first she didn't seem to like me. Aside from that, the TV goes on, and the reapings begin.

All of the Careers are either seventeen or eighteen and they all look lethal and as expected, they all were almost all volunteers. The pair from 3 doesn't seem to be much of a threat. When it gets to my district, I have to relive my reaping. I can see my brothers trying to hold me back when my name is called, but in the end, I had to go. They show a shot of my parents, stunned and at a loss for words. They have a close up of Lilith's face, and it catches the small groan that she had let out. Her red hair gleamed in the sun while she mounted the stage. I start to lose focus by the time it reaches District 9, but then I notice that a twelve-year-old is reaped. I feel bad for her, because she will most definitely be killed in the arena. By the time all of them ended, Gunther had made comments about of them, and Thymine was writing something down in a notebook. Lilith lets out a sigh and is the first to leave, without any dismissal.

"Did you see any that you might want as allies?" Thymine asks suddenly, and I take my eyes off the screen to answer her. The twelve-year-old from 9 is the only one I can think of, because my natural instinct is to protect those that are defenseless. I don't think Thymine will find that a good idea, so I just say,

"No, I didn't. Could I go back to my room now?" I'm eager to get away, I dislike people like her. She grunts but let's me go.

When I get out of the room, I see that Lilith is standing there.

"Oh, Lilith. I thought you were going back to your room." I say, because that's what I really thought. She looks up and can see that she's crying a little. She wipes her nose on her sleeve before saying,

"I was, but…I really can't stop thinking about my sister. I need someone to talk to." She sniffles, and I decide to listen to her, to make her feel better.

"You can talk to me if you like. I'm all ears," Lilith looks grateful, and we go back to the dining car so Thymine can't hear our conversation. She sits across from me, and she begins to talk about her three-year-old sister who loves her so much and will probably not remember Lilith when she gets older. She talks for a surprising amount of time, and through the windows I can see the sun starting to set. While she's talking, my mind wanders and I think of my own family. What are they doing now, are they eating dinner like normal, like I've never existed? When she stops, I try think of something encouraging to say,

"Your sister is waiting for you to come back, and even though you think you can't win, you can't give up hope. It's all we have. I love my brothers, too, and I vowed that I'd do anything to get back to them, and I can't let them down." I curse myself. That wasn't encouraging, it was just lame. Maybe cracking a joke will make her feel better? But by looking in her eyes, I can tell it meant something to her.

"Bronz, thank you so much. I feel loads better." Lilith says, and gives me a weak smile. An idea occurs to me. I want Lilith as an ally.

"Lilith…do you think you might want to be allies?" She gasps, as if she wasn't expecting the offer. She nods her head quickly, and I give her hand a little squeeze as if that sealed the deal.

**POV: Lilith Green**

As soon as I get on the train, I burst into tears. I had been crying, only a little bit though, when I was in the Justice Building. Bronz just stares at me, looking uncomfortable. Thymine gives me an unsympathetic look and shows me to my room. But she doesn't leave.

"Lilith, pull yourself together! Do you have no self respect?" She shouts at me, but it just makes me sob more. I run in the room and slam the door. I jump right on the bed and curl up in a ball, to escape this nightmare for a while. I'm already starting to miss my parents, and my sister, Jolene… but that brings more tears. Back in District 5, life had been sweet, and never had I imagined that I'd be reaped. Keeping a tight grip on the bracelet that little Jolene had made me, I sit up. I can't keep crying like this, it'll seem weak. I wipe my nose, and I get up to look in the mirror.

My shoulder-length red hair is tangled, and my green eyes are blotchy. I grab a tissue that is conveniently on the shelf by the mirror. They're really soft, and it's kind of comforting as I dry my face with them. A while later, Gunther walks in without knocking. His hair is made up of many different colors that careen to the left. He's still wearing the same tacky suit that he wore at the reaping.

"Thymine sent me to get you. You're required to go to dinner." He says very slowly, in his deep voice. I nod, wiping my face one last time, and follow him in silence to the dining car.

Thymine is sitting there, and she waves me over to the seat across from her. Her green eyes are closed slightly, and she looks irritated.

"You took your time, Lilith. Are you really that slow? You won't last a day in the arena…" She trails off when Bronz walks in. Why didn't she comment on his lateness? Is she already playing favorites? Bronz takes a seat next to Gunther, and he looks at all of us. I take this time to get a better look at him and Thymine.

Thymine has a pretty face and a long straight nose. Her long black hair falls to her lower back, but it's in a high ponytail. She's wearing an ugly outfit; a purple dress that looks extremely tight and a black leather jacket. Bronz has eyes that are a soft blue color, and his brown hair is extremely spikey and out of place. Suddenly, Bronz says,

"So, Lilith, how are you?" I stare at him, without saying anything. Thymine ignores him and says,

"Let's talk about strategies. District 5 really needs another Victor, but by just looking at you, I can tell that neither of you has what it takes to win." She crosses her arms and looks at Bronz. That's really offensive to me, so I sniffle and hold in a tear. Thymine and Bronz start to talk, but I channel them out. It's not my conversation. Then after their heated conversation, Gunther suggests that we watch the recap of the reapings. Just great, I have to see the kids I might have to kill. And the kids that might kill me.

The tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4 are typical Careers, all looking fierce and threatening. When it got to District 5, I tuned out so I didn't have to witness it again. The rest pass, and none stick to my memory. I'm too busy thinking of Jolene, and my home in District 5. After the anthem ends, I get up and dart out of the room.

But I don't go to my room, I don't want to go there because I'll just cry again. Talking always made me feel better, and the only person who will understand what I'm feeling will be Bronz. So I wait for him. He comes in from the TV room, looking pissed off. I wonder why, but I suspect Thymine. He looks surprised to see me here and says,

"Oh, Lilith. I thought you were going back to your room." He says. I wipe my nose before telling him that I really need someone to talk to. He looks hesitant for a while, and then agrees to come with me to the dining car.

When we sit down, I that I've been holding in comes flying out of my mouth. I talk on and on about my sister, my house, my family, how I'm scared. How Jolene won't remember me when she grows up. I finally finish and take a big breath. I feel a whole lot better, and I'm about to thank Bronz when he suddenly says,

"Your sister is waiting for you to come back, and even though you think you can't win, you can't give up hope. It's all we have. I love my brothers, too, and I vowed that I'd do anything to get back to them, and I can't let them down." Hope. All I need is hope, huh? I tell him I'm so thankful for letting me talk his ear off, and then his face lightens up as though he got an idea.

"Lilith…do you think you might want to be allies?" A gasp escapes my lips, and my eyes widen. He wants me as an ally? Someone who just said who scared she was? But I nod quickly, in case in changes his mind. He takes my hand in his, and gives it a little squeeze.

I now have hope.

**Okay, sorry if that took a while to be posted. For those of you who don't know, the Haunted Woods arena won! Thank you everyone who voted! I have a little announcement:**

**There will be a bit of a delay. The earliest I can post the District 6 train ride will be Monday, because I have a large report to do, for math! Double ew! :D**

**Sorry again, and thanks for understanding!**

**~ArtificialLove **


	11. District 6 Train Ride

**Now, here's the District 6 train ride!**

**POV: Kamryn Middleton**

I swing my feet up on the sofa, and lay back. Stupid Fedora Lifte, District 6's capitol escort, had called me to dinner, even pleaded with me to come, but I didn't feel like going. So I told her to 'buzz off' and she replied with a breathless "Well, I never...!" and clicked off somewhere, with her long blue hair swinging behind her. But that was, like, an hour ago, so I have no idea where she is now.

My argument with the Peacekeepers at the reaping is fresh in my mind, and I laugh when I remember the Peacekeeper's angry face. Then I think of my farewell to my family, I had tried to show them that I would try my best, and that I wasn't the least bit afraid. And I wasn't lying. Suddenly, the door opens and Gingko, my annoying district partner, walks in holding a plate of food.

"You need something, rabbit?" I ask sarcastically. I had given him the nickname rabbit, because he has huge big blue eyes that just scream, '_Innocence_'. He walks over to me and puts the plate on the table next to the couch I'm laying on and replies,

"I brought you some food, since you didn't show up for the meal. I'm trying to be nice, or do you not know what that word means?" Gingko smiles, with his small pointed lips. I cock my head and look at him with a raised eyebrow. This little boy is trying to insult me? I don't think so.

"Listen, rabbit, I don't want the food. Why don't you eat it? You sure need to pack on some pounds for the arena. Wait, let me help you." I quickly take the food, which is a weird soup, and dump right over his head. He gasps, and shoots up angrily. He looks so funny, I just burst out laughing. I can't stop, and his face just gets redder! His dark hair is even darker, now that the soup is in it. After a while, Gingko gets up and darts out of the room, and I can hear my laugh echoing through the open door.

Now that I've finally stopped laughing, I get up from the couch. I wonder what there is to do on this train, are they expecting me to just sit still for the whole ride? Almost on cue, Miki Scribe and Ace Vander walk in the room. They are our mentors, or will be, once the Games truly begin. Miki looks angry, and Ace just looks like he wants to be anywhere but here. Miki finally opens her big mouth and shouts,

"What did you just do? You can't do that to your fellow tribute! And you didn't show up for dinner! Imagine, I was having a nice chat with Ace here, and Gingko comes running in with a soup bowl on his head! Unbelievable!" She goes on and on, and I just stare at her with raised eyebrows. Yelling at me won't do any good, and she'll learn that soon. Everyone does. Ace scratches his head, awkwardly, and clears his throat.

"I wonder how you ever won the Hunger Games. Did you nag everyone to death?" I smirk, crossing my arms. Her face turns red, and I can tell that Ace stifled a laugh. Miki turns to him, and slaps his shoulder. Then she says,

"How dare you! I've never seen such a disrespectful girl in my life! Just wait 'till you get in the arena." She mutters something else under her breath, and walks out of the room with Ace in tow, like he's on a leash. I sigh, and just then, yet another person comes to bother me. It's Fedora, of all people.

"Kamryn, this time you must come. We're all gathering in the TV room, and you must apologize to Gingko. Then you must sit nice and quiet while we watch the reapings." Her ice blue hair hangs over her milk white eyes, it looks very odd. There isn't anything better for me to do, so I slowly follow her to the TV room. Miki and Ace are sitting next to each other, and Gingko is sitting on a fluffy chair covered with a blanket. His hair is still wet from the soup, or maybe he has taken a shower. No one wants me to sit next to me, and I don't like them shunning me like this, but I just sit on the floor close to the TV. I hear Fedora gasp from behind me, as if sitting on the floor was barbaric to her. Then the death sentences begin, all twenty-four them. One tribute will survive, though, as we all know.

The reapings begin with the announcers chatting, and then they look at the camera as if they had suddenly noticed us. With a loud voice, the male says they will begin. As always, all the tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4 are all pretty and handsome, but behind their beautiful masks, lies the faces of deadly killers. But the male from 4 seems very detached, and out of place. When it gets to District 6, I see Fedora calling my name, and my strange argument with the Peacekeepers. It brings a smile to my face, it seems very funny. No one shares in my amusement, but I don't care. The rest of the reapings pass by, almost in a flash. I wish I had paid more attention instead of think about my family, and how they're holding up.

"Strong tributes this year. A lot of competition, but nonetheless, I'm so excited!" Fedora exclaims, just as I see the sun going down. Everyone, especially me, ignores her and leaves the room. She stands there, probably wondering if she said something wrong. Gingko gives me a playful look as he walks toward his room, can't he take the hint that I don't like him?

"Farewell, I'll wake you when we reach the Capitol." Ace tells me, because Miki hadn't given me as much as a glance since our run-in. I look at him, and his good-natured smile.

"Sure, thanks. And, why do you let Miki walk all over you? Stand up to her," I say, and laugh, expecting him to join me. But he just shakes his head and replies,

"Miki's my sister. She got married, that's why her last name is different. I have respect for her." He silently takes his leave. I don't know why, but I just can't hate him. He seems too nice. I shrug my small shoulders and I go to my room, walking in almost complete darkness.

When I slip inside the alien room, I go over to the mirror. My dark eyes stare back at me, as though I'm a stranger. My black hair is cut sharply to my shoulder blades, without any curls. With a small sigh, I remove my clothes and put on silk pajamas that an Avox had put on the bed. I slide into the soft and inviting bed, but I lay on my side with my eyes wide open.

It didn't take me long to realize sleep wouldn't come. Not tonight.

But after an hour of tossing and turning, my mind gives in to exhaustion.

**POV: Gingko Wyde**

After being followed to the dining car by Fedora Lifte, she places me in a seat across from Ace Vander, who is silently staring down the soup that is in front of him. I'm still in a frenzy, after being reaped and all, and now I've just been placed on this train filled with crazy people. I'm trying to get the best out of my time left in the world, but the world isn't giving me much to work with. Fedora announces that she is going to find Kamryn, my sharp-tongued district partner, and leaves me alone with Ace. An Avox with sheen blond hair places soup in front of me, but I don't think I can stomach it. Ace, my reserved dinner partner, has light brown hair with pale brown eyes.

"Alright, I've arrived." A proud looking woman, with pale brown hair, says and takes a seat next to Ace. This is Miki Scribe, our female mentor. She eyes me up and down, and groans.

"I swear they get weaker and weaker every year." She laughs to Ace, putting her hand on his shoulder. He just stiffens. She starts to attack her soup, like she hasn't eaten in years. I zone out, not wanting to see the green liquid all over Miki's face.

I wonder how my mom is doing, now with one less mouth to feed. Sorrow washes over me, knowing no one will miss me. No one but Mom, or maybe even Dad. They had all pretended to be sad, or that's what it seemed like. I can't lie to myself; there is no way I'm going to come out of this alive. Might as well accept it now, I'll be lying dead on the arena floor in a week. But I won't give the other tributes the satisfaction of knowing that I doubt myself.

"Well, are you going to eat? A chef made that just for you, and you're going to go and waste it? My, my, how distasteful." Miki suddenly says, just as Fedora walks in.

"Such a horrible young lady! Kamryn refuses to come to dinner, even when I pleaded with her!" She shouts, and I can tell she's really outraged. This is a good opportunity to get out of this awkward situation, and I say,

"I'll bring her my soup. I don't want it, and like you said, Miki, it would be distasteful if it was wasted." I snatch up my bowl, and scurry out of the room, my bony body hidden by baggy hand-me-down clothes from my brother, Coda.

The train is heavy with decoration, I wonder why. To me, it's stupid to travel to your death in style. What always gets to me is that the Capitol dresses up tributes only to put them in the arena. But whatever, I still have a week.

I finally find Kamryn, who is lying back on a mahogany couch. She looks at me with her big, dark brown eyes. I lay the soup on the table and say,

"I brought you some food, since you missed the meal. I'm trying to be nice, or do you not know what that word means?" I smile, coldly. Kamryn looks at me funny before commenting that I should gain some weight for the arena, and then she picks up the bowl. This can't be good. Knowing that she's going to do something, I try to rise, but she pours the soup all over me! I rocket up, with the bowl still on my head. Kamryn bursts out laughing, holding her sides. My dark shaggy hair hangs in clumps now, and the soup rolls down my shirt and pants. I can feel my face starting to get very red, so I bolt out of the room, and her laughter follows me down the hall. Miki and Ace are sitting in some chairs, but I pass right by them. I need to get this soup off!

"What in the name of Panem happened?" Miki almost screams, but it comes out like a shout. Ace begins to laugh, but with one glare from Miki, he shut up.

After rushing into my room, I run straight into what I think is a bathroom. I slide the baggy clothes off with ease, and I remove the bowl from my head. I step into the shower, and realize I have no idea how to work it. There are so many buttons, so I press an orange one, just guessing. I think it's right, because steaming hot water pours down, and shampoo almost squirts in my eyes. So this is a shower? I've never had one; we always took paths in a wooden tub back in District 6.

Surprisingly, I'm not mad Kamryn. If we had known each other back in District 6, and we weren't in this situation, I think we could have been friends. At least acquaintances. I quickly attend to my shaggy hair, and wash my body. I'm always so self conscience because I've been told that I'm as skinny as a pole, and my limbs look like long pencils. I almost don't hear it, but there's a faint knock on the door.

"Gingko? It's Ace. We're going to watch the reapings." I can tell he's still by the door, so I say,

"I'll be there in a minute. I just need to get dressed…" Then I hear his footsteps, but I don't hear him leave my main room. What is he doing? I stand there for about five more minutes, letting the warm water run over me. I make sure I hear Ace leave before slipping out the door with a towel draped around my waist.

I see a fresh set of clothes laid on the bed, with socks and slippers, and next to it lays a soft blanket. So this is what Ace was doing while I was in the shower, making sure I had warm, dry clothes and a blanket. His kindness warms my heart, and I plan to thank him as I pull on the surprisingly tight-fitting clothes. Grabbing the blanket, I head out to where the TV room is.

Ace is next to Miki, of course, and I take a seat on the only chair in the room. The rest are couches. A while after I sit down, Kamryn and Fedora stalk in the room, neither of them looking too happy. Kamryn surveys the room, and finally chooses to sit on the floor. I don't blame her. Then the reapings begin.

I don't pay much attention, and I definitely don't want to see District 6's reapings. I see many faces, many of them scared, and many of them confident. This year will be bloody, I just know it. Just as I was thinking that, Fedora exclaims,

"Strong tributes this year. A lot of competition, but nonetheless, I'm so excited!" No one acknowledges that she had said anything, and we all desert her. With one playful look at Kamryn, I tred off to my "room".

Things can't get any worse, but then I'm reminded that I'll be in the Capitol by tomorrow morning. To be observed by millions of citizens, and then carted off to the arena like a lamb led to the slaughter.

How grim.

**...I know, I know! I said there would be a delay, but the D6 train ride was waiting in my documents, ready to be posted...so here is it! Keep in mind that there WILL be a delay for the District 7 train ride, as I still have a big math thing to do. Please review, and we broke 60! Wow! Sorry for any typos or spelling errors, also!**

**And again, I hope you guys liked this chapter! ;)**

**~ArtificialLove**


	12. District 7 Train Ride

**District 7 train ride!**

**POV: Alina McKennan**

I step on the train as I straighten my sweater, making sure to avoid standing next to my clumsy district partner, Samuel. The memory of my mom and that terrible Peter is replaying itself in my mind; it was just thirty minutes ago that they had come to say goodbye. They didn't understand why I volunteered, and maybe they never will. But ever since my dad died, I had been training to go into the Hunger Games, to escape my life in District 7. If I win, I plan to become an artist, and live the life I always wanted to. But now is not the time to be thinking of that, now is the time for planning.

"Come quickly, your food awaits." Lumber Swift, our mentor, whispers motioning with his hand to follow him. I nod, and Sam just follows us, swaying as he walks because the train has started to move. We finally arrive in a festive looking dining car, with several plates of food laid out on delicate china. I choose to sit in the chair farthest from everyone else; I'm not one for idle chatter. Sam looks offended by my choice, but I could care less about him, he's just someone that I'll have to kill sooner or later, so there's no point in befriending him. Besides, I never had any friends in the first place.

"So, these are my tributes for this year." Lumber gives us both a look over and nods approvingly before saying,

"You both have a good chance. Especially you, Alina. But only time will tell." What's that supposed to mean? I decide that I can rely on Lumber, for signing up sponsors and such. I start eating the food that's in front of me: broccoli and lobster cooked in sauce. It's amazingly good, so I eat my fill. I sneak little looks at Lumber and Sam.

Lumber has brown hair, and he looks like he's in his mid twenties. Sam has blond hair and blue eyes; it's very uncommon in my district. He has no muscles and looks like he hasn't eaten in a long time. I shrug and go back to chomping on my broccoli. After a while, our Capitol escort comes in, in a dress that looks like something someone would wear a thousand years ago. Her name is Felicity Concerto, and she has massive gold eyes and fiery red hair. After looking at us, she says,

"Ah, there you are! I've been trying to find you guys for, like, ever! I'm going to show the tributes to their rooms, and things like that!" Her voice is the most annoying thing I've ever heard, and it's even worse that she has the Capitol accent. Felicity pulls on my sleeve, and runs her hand through my brown hair. I don't like being touched, so I mutter quickly,

"Don't. Touch. Me." She jerks her hand back, as though she had touched a hot oven. She takes a few steps back before telling us to hurry up and follow her. I scoot back my chair with a slight jerk, and rise slowly. I wait for Sam to do the same, and then we set off down a long hallway that's dimly lit.

Felicity shows me to a grey sliding door, points to it without saying anything, and then takes off with Sam behind her. Not sure what else to do, I enter the dark and foreboding bedroom.

I wrap my silver anklet in a tissue, and put it in the bottom drawer of the bureau; I don't want anyone finding it. There really isn't anything else to do, but wait for either Lumber or Felicity to get me, so I hop up on the bed to do some thinking. But as soon as I closed my eyes, I heard someone open the door. It's an Avox girl, with golden hair and sad brown eyes. She just stands there, with her hands behind her back. This is odd so I say,

"Do you need something?" She nods quickly, and pulls out a notepad and pen, and scribbles something on the paper. She walks over to me, and holds up the paper for me to read. It's written in very sloppy handwriting, so I have to squint to read it:

'I am here to take you to the TV room, for the Hunger Games reapings.' I look up into her eyes, and feel a sudden surge of sympathy. I wonder what this girl did to deserve the fate of an Avox. Regardless, I allow her to take my hand and walk me through many dark corridors. We finally reach a door, and she gives me a light push inside. Felicity, Sam, and Lumber are sitting on plush couches, staring at the TV in silence. I go to sit in the chair farthest to the left; I always prefer to sit by myself. Sam looks over at me and glares while he says,

"Don't be afraid to sit by us, we won't bite." He laughs, and nudges Felicity in the arm, wanting her to join in the laugh. But she puts her finger to her lips and goes "shh!". Then, the reapings begin.

I don't pay much attention during the Career districts, because I definitely won't be allying with them. A rude girl and a wimp from District 6 stick to my mind, though. Everyone is older this year, there's only one twelve-year-old, who's from District 9. I guess that's a good thing. Just as the sun goes down, Felicity shoos us to our rooms to get a good rest because we will be arriving in the Capitol in the wee hours of the morning. The Capitol, I can't believe it.

Sleep sounds heavenly, but it won't come easily.

**POV: Samuel Broomby**

Barely stopping myself from careening into Alina, I steady myself as the train jolts forward, and the doors close behind us. No going back now. It is scary to know that I'll be dead soon. My adoptive parents didn't seem too upset that I had been reaped, much to my dismay. Knowing that I won't be missed, or mourned for that matter, I have decided that I won't even make an effort in the Games. It would be a waste; to try, only to fail.

"Come quickly, your food awaits." Our mentor, Lumber Swift, says to Alina and I, ushering us in the other room. Alina sits far away from us, not even giving us a second glance. I don't see why she would do that; there's nothing wrong with me. Or is there? Aside from that, I angrily take a huge bite out of the lobster that's laid out in front of me. Lumber has brown hair and looks very young, he reminds me of my father, and sadness washes over me. The lobster's succulent taste goes dry in my mouth, and I decide not to eat anything else.

Lumber says something, but I'm too distracted to pay attention. I glance over at Alina, and her unfeeling blue eyes that never leave her plate, she seems to have a veil of sadness covering her.

"Ah, there you are! I've been trying to find you guys for, like, ever! I'm going to show the tributes to their rooms, and things like that!" An annoying voice calls from behind me, and I turn to see our Capitol escort, Felicity Concerto. She hops over to Alina, with her deep red hair swinging behind her. When she places her hand on her, Alina looks up and says in a fierce voice,

"Don't. Touch. Me." Felicity yanks her hand back and back up hesitantly. We both slowly rise from our chairs, and follow her down a long hallway. She shows Alina to her room, and then takes me down more hallways and sitting rooms before saying sweetly,

"Here's your room. I'll see ya in a bit." She walks away, quickly disappearing. I sigh with relief; I'll finally get to be alone and away from those mental cases.

I play with my blond hair as I go into the bathroom, to explore my new room. I never had a room before; I always slept on a couch in the kitchen back in District 7. Then, every morning, I either went to school, or went to work in the lumber yards. There was no age restriction, and my family could always use more money those days. Soon after I investigate the bathroom, Lumber sulks into my room, looking moody.

"Come on, boy, we have to watch the recap of the reapings." Oh no, not the reapings. I didn't want to see the kids I would have to face in the arena, and the kids that might end my life. But before I could object, Lumber grabs me by the collar and pulls me to the TV room.

When we near the door, we swiftly enter. Felicity is already there, fixing her make-up and looking into a small compact mirror. She waves us over, and we quickly take seats on the couches. Alina trudges in a while later, followed by an Avox. She looks at us once, and then sits on the far left of the room. I wish I had gotten a more sociable district partner, Alina hasn't said much at all. I call over to her,

"Don't be afraid to sit by us, we won't bite." I laugh, and nudge Felicity in the shoulder to emphasize my joke. But she turns to me, looking annoyed, and says "shh!" Then the TV shoots on, and the anthem plays before the Capitol symbol shows on the screen. Then, the reapings begin.

The Careers scare me severely, and the other tributes still scare me, but not as much. Not many of them appear scared, or weak, and I see that this is a bad sign.

"Go on, go to your rooms. We'll arrive at the Capitol in the early morning." She then turns to strike up a conversation with Lumber. I shrug, and weave my way through the many rooms, surprised that I had remembered where my room was located.

With the gentle rocking of the train, I fall into a surprisingly calm slumber.

**That wasn't as long as the other chapters, but that's because Sam is a bloodbath tribute. But, as I always say, please review! After the next chapter (District 8 train ride) there will be the start of the interviews, and then after those four chapters, the ARENA! Exciting, I know. **

**AHHH, I'm so embarrassed. I sat in barbecue sauce at lunch today. So. Not. Cool. **

**...Anyways, bye!**

**~ArtificialLove**


	13. District 8 Train Ride

**District 8 Train Ride!**

**POV: Auberon Falconer**

"Come on then, hop in," The Peacekeeper says, about to close the train door. I look at her with my deep green eyes for a minute, stalling for as long as I could. I did _not _want to get on this train, knowing where it will take me. To the shinning Capitol, where people can't wait to watch me fight for my life. It was difficult to say goodbye to Harriet, who will have to go to the Community Home, now that I won't be around to care for her. My parents won't take her, and I hate them for it. I haven't spoken to my parents since I was fifteen, when they threw me out of the house and made me take Harriet with me. I lived in a tiny apartment for four years with her, and my sole mission in life was to protect her. But now, I have to protect myself. The Peacekeeper's look turns into a scowl, and it looks like she's about to shove me on the train. Then, Paisley, my district partner, comes to my rescue.

"Here, come with me, Auberon. It's okay." I'm surprised at how happy she seems, she's almost giddy. I guess she should be, though, because she had volunteered. Her dark brown hair blows in the distant breeze, and she tucks a few strands behind her ear before grabbing my hand. With surprising strength, she pulls me in and the door almost instantly closes behind me, leaving the crowd of reporters behind us. My odd reddish spiky hair is messed up even more, and I don't even attempt to fix it.

"What's taking so long? Oh, you're here." Dotty Fluff, one of our mentors, says quietly, in a nice tone. She coughs into a tissue, before giving us a kind smile. Her raven black hair is almost past her waist, and she has tied in some pink ribbons here and there, making it even prettier. She's beautiful. Paisley nods, and giggles for some reason. What about our situation could possibly be funny?

The room we are in is decorated like a medieval palace, with rich velvet curtains that frame the train's small windows. The couches are all a deep satin red, covered with charcoal colored pillows with tiny gold buttons. This is a strange way to decorate a train, I think to myself, just as Dotty coughs again. I wonder if she's sick.

"Would you please join me for a meal? Your other mentor, Spool Thread, is there already. The dining car is this way…" Dotty says, and trails off, starting to walk toward a door that's to the left. Paisley eagerly follows her, and I hesitate for only a second before doing the same. Some food would hit the spot; maybe it would help me feel better.

When we arrive, we indeed see Spool, no one could miss him. He is standing tall, towering over all of us, and he has a large belly. His extremely straight blonde hair hangs in his face, unattractively.

"Welcome, tributes. Auberon and Paisley, right? Come, the meal awaits." We all nod, ready for a filling meal.

Taking a seat next to Paisley, I set my eyes on the food that is being carted in, and my mouth begins to water. It's a big serving of turkey, and a garden salad on the side. The server tells us we can have as much as we want, and then goes to say something to an Avox. All I can think about is the freshly cooked turkey, and the crisp lettuce drenched in Italian dressing. Spool sits next to Dotty, telling the server that he will definitely be eating a lot. When Paisley and I start to inhale our meal; Dotty just looks at us and smiles, coughing occasionally. Food was placed in front of her, but it's still untouched. Paisley says something before I do, though,

"Aren't you gonna eat?" She asks, looking confused. Dotty's vivid brown eyes close, and she shakes her head. Paisley shrugs, and goes back to eating. I continue to look at Dotty, wondering how she's resisting the urge to devour this spectacular feast. The server comes back and stands by her, puts his hand on her shoulder, and says,

"May I take your plate, miss?" Oddly, Dotty starts to shake and hyperventilate. The server yanks his hand back, and looks at us for an answer. Dotty screams, high-pitched, and slips from her seat, falling into a heap on the floor.

"Dotty, what's the matter?" I yell, extremely concerned. I shoot up, and walk around the table to reach her. Paisley just sits there, her mouth resembling the letter O. Dotty keeps screaming, but she starts to get quieter, and then I think she passes out. Spool stands up quickly, and picks up Dotty without any trouble.

"Not this again. She's having one of her fits. When someone touches her shoulder, it brings her back to the arena, and she thinks she's there again. Stupid, I know." He sighs, and leaves the room with Dotty slung over his shoulder, her dark hair covering her face completely, and most of the pink ribbons had fallen out. This leaves Paisley and I alone, aside from the silent server, who seems shocked into silence. I return to my seat, only to find that my appetite had been spoiled.

"So, Auberon is it? Let's redo our introductions. I'm Paisley Hilliard, though you know that, don't you? The food is delightful, isn't it? I think it is. What about you?" Paisley says, all in one breath. I really don't want to talk, but I don't want to be rude.

"Yes, I'm Auberon Falconer. The food is…refreshing." I say vaguely, spacing the words. Paisley nods, and asks the server for more food. After the plate is put before her, someone slams through the door behind us. I turn to look, and see the Capitol escort that had picked my name from the reaping ball. His name is Billiard Cue, and he has jet black hair with yellow tips, and his eyes are a mysterious purple. The most intriguing thing about him is that he is wearing a…man skirt. He had told me earlier that it was called a 'kilt' but I don't believe him.

"Perfect! I'm not too late for dinner, am I?" He trills, in his unusually high voice. Great, now I have to deal with a chatterbox, and a feminine, but male, Capitol escort. Panem just _loves_ me. After another helping of food, Billiard suggests that we watch the recap of the reapings. I'd rather not, but I can't find the right way to reject his offer, so Paisley and Billiard basically drag me to the TV room.

Spool is there, though I didn't expect him to be, because I hadn't seen him since he carried Dotty away. When I asked him about it, he said that she would be resting for a while. I wonder if she'll be okay. I sit down next to Paisley, and try not to start at Billiard's hairy legs. The couches are very plush; different from the ones in the main room. They are a soft white, almost like clouds. I lean back to get comfortable, just as the TV turns on.

As the Career districts pass by, I can't hide my dislike for them. I shift, sighing as I watch my competition. Paisley stares intently at the screen, as if gathering information. The District 3 tributes look like possible allies, but I can't be sure. The rest flash by, and District 8 comes up. I turn my eyes away, I've already had to live through it, why would want to watch it? I decide to leave early, but as soon as I move to get up, District 12's starts, and I see who I want as an ally. Phelan McCallister. He seems just like me: tall, dark hair, caring demeanor. I make a note to try to come up with a way to suggest the idea to him, when I meet him. Then, I rise and say,

"I want to go to sleep. Where is my room?" Spool looks at me, annoyed, but then tells me that it's all the way down the hall and on the left. He then says that Paisley's is right across from mine, and I don't like that at all. But Paisley hops up from the couch and says,

"Let me go with you! Since our rooms are close. Good night, Spool, Billiard." She turns to me, and pulls me out of the room and down the hall. As soon as I'm about to enter my room, her pleasant smile disappears, and her expression turns deadly. I shake a little, what's wrong with her?

"Hey, Auberon. Just to let you know, I'll do whatever it takes to win, and despite my size and weak looking exterior, I have the means to kill. Just to make that clear," Her expression turns back to pleasant, and then she slowly backs into her room, and shuts the door. That was strange, to the maximum. I decide to not think about it too much, chances are someone will have to kill her in the arena before I do. I enter my room, and without changing my clothes, I lie down in the bed to sleep. I wonder if Harriet is sleeping in a nice, soft bed like I am. I try to comfort myself with that thought, but I know deep down, that she is probably crying herself to sleep.

It's a surprise that I didn't cry myself to sleep.

**POV: Paisley Hilliard**

Impatiently, though careful not to show it, I wait for Auberon to get on the train. I really don't understand why he's taking so long. I wonder if he's afraid of trains. Oh well, it gives me time to reassess my thoughts and think about my family, who bade me a tearful goodbye at the Justice Building. I can do anything I put my mind to, and I believe I can win, so why were they so sad? The only one that wasn't sad was Calla, my sister, because she doesn't understand what the Hunger Games is about. It sure was satisfying, seeing the shocked faces on the girls that had mocked me at school. They won't be so mean, when I come back a Victor, and get a stunning house in the Victors Village, and endless riches…I daydream too much. Not wanting to wait any longer, I say to Auberon,

"Here, come with me, Auberon. It's okay." Happiness is evident in my voice, and I don't care if he heard it. I take his hand, and pull him on the train with ease. The Peacekeeper closes the train door behind us, with one final breeze from the outside. I straighten my chocolate hair once more, I'm always worried that it's messed up.

"What's taking so long? Oh, you're here." Dotty Fluff, one of our mentors, says quietly, in a nice tone. She coughs into a tissue, before giving us a kind smile. Her raven black hair is almost past her waist, and she has tied in some pink ribbons here and there, making it even prettier. She's beautiful. I nod, and giggle because I almost always giggle.

The room we are in is decorated like an old castle, adorned in red and such.

"Would you please join me for a meal? Your other mentor, Spool Thread, is there already. The dining car is this way…" Dotty says, and trails off, starting to walk toward a door that's to the left. I quickly run to join her, and leave Auberon behind me, certain that he will follow.

When we arrive, we indeed see Spool, no one could miss him. He is standing tall, towering over all of us, and he has a large belly. His extremely straight blonde hair hangs in his face, unattractively.

"Welcome, tributes. Auberon and Paisley, right? Come, the meal awaits." We all nod, ready for a filling meal.

I lower myself in a soft chair next to Auberon, and wait for the food. It's a fresh turkey, cooked to perfection, and a salad in a rich dressing. My stomach grumbles as it's put before me. The server tells us we can have as much as we want, and then goes to say something to an Avox. I look and observe my diner partners. Spool sits next to Dotty, telling the server that he will definetly be eating a lot. I eat my food quickly, afraid that if I let it sit there, it will be swept away. The only one not eating is Dotty, who keeps smiling and looking at something behind me. Why does she not eat?

"Aren't you gonna eat?" I ask, and wonder if she doesn't like turkey or salads. She shakes her head and goes back to smiling. I shrug; I'm not going to worry about it. The server comes back and stands by her, puts his hand on her shoulder, and says,

"May I take your plate, miss?" Oddly, Dotty starts to shake and hyperventilate. The server yanks his hand back, and looks at us for an answer. Dotty screams, high-pitched, and slips from her seat, falling into a heap on the floor.

"Dotty, what's the matter?"Auberon asks, loudly. Spool looks at Dotty, on the floor, with an exasperated look on his face. I'm so shocked I don't say anything, what is there to say? Her screams stop, and her breathing grows slow. For a while, I wonder if she's dying. But Spool stands up and answers my suspicions,

"Not this again. She's having one of her fits. When someone touches her shoulder, it brings her back to the arena, and she thinks she's there again. Stupid, I know." He sighs, and leaves the room with Dotty over his shoulder. With Auberon and I alone, I decide to make a conversation, because I don't like awkward silences. He returns to his seat, but doesn't eat any more.

"So, Auberon is it? Let's redo our introductions. I'm Paisley Hilliard, though you know that, don't you? The food is delightful, isn't it? I think it is. What about you?" All things that comes to my mind comes out, and I stop to take a breath, intent on saying more, but he replies,

"Yes, I'm Auberon Falconer. The food is…refreshing." He says it slowly, as if carefully wording his sentence. Not sure what else to do, I order another salad. Someone comes in through the door behind me, I feel it. When I turn to look, I see Billiard Cue. He's our Capitol escort, with interesting attire. He's wearing a skirt, but I thought only girls wore skirts. Maybe it's different in the Capitol.

"Perfect! I'm not too late for dinner, am I?" Billiard exclaims, taking a seat without an answer. I have to wait for him to finish his meal before he suggests we watch the reapings. Perfect, time to scout out the other tributes. We all walk in a long silence to the TV room.

I don't really care who I sit next too, so I sit on the edge of a fluffy couch. I tap my fingers, waiting for the recap to start. When it finally does, I lean forward intently.

I pay close attention to the Careers, I might possibly want to work my way into their alliance. The black-haired girl from District 2 seems a big threat, and a girl names Velvet is too. I lose my focus around District 10, because the rest come from poor district and usually don't make it past the bloodbath. Auberon tensed up at District 12, though, and I wonder why.

"I want to go to sleep. Where is my room?" Auberon suddenly asks, standing up. Spool tells him where our rooms are, and I'm surprised to find out that we'll be right across from each other. It doesn't really matter though. Truly tired, I suggest quickly,

"Let me go with you! Since our rooms are close. Good night, Spool, Billiard." I pull him out of the room, with the same strength from earlier. I really what to pose a threat to Auberon, so he doesn't think I'm a weakling and forget me, I say to him seriously,

"Hey, Auberon. Just to let you know, I'll do whatever it takes to win, and despite my size and weak looking exterior, I have the means to kill. Just to make that clear," The pleasant smile pops on my face again, and since we had arrived at the rooms, I enter slowly and shut the door, finally alone. I sigh, and then instantly wish I didn't, in case he might have heard it.

Feeling like a have weights on my shoulders, I change out of my clothes, and into a pair of silk pajamas I had found in a drawer. The bed is tempting me to enter it, and sleep deeply. So I give in, convinced there's nothing left to do, but wait for our arrival to the Capitol. I wonder how my family is, and if they're worried about me.

But, like I said, there's nothing to be worried about. Right?

**I wanted to get this posted today, so here it is! Sorry if it's bad. But anyway, here comes an announcement:**

**The next chapter will be chariots, I debated with myself, and decided not to skip them. It's not going to be separate chapters for each district, it will be one BIG chapter. Somehow, someway, I'll get it done...but give me at least a day. Training days will be one big chapter too, but it will be from the POV of the Head Gamemaker. Then Districts 9, 10, 11, and 12 will be Interviews. THEN, there will be the arena. I know, this story is far from complete. Just bear with me, and we'll get through it together. Somehow.**

**Just...go with the flow, m'kay? :)** **AND, forgive me if you spot any mistakes I might have not seen...no one's perfect. **

**~ArtificialLove**


	14. Capitol Chariot Rides

**Here are the chariot rides!**

**POV: The Head Gamemaker, Jezebel Jarring**

Ah, the chariots. My favorite event of The Hunger Games; aside from the arena. My Avox, Spinelle, leads me to the seat that was reserved just for me. It's the chair I sit in every year, a big oak one with purple cushions. As I ease into it, I turn to say to Spinelle,

"That is all. I won't be needing anything else for the rest of the evening. You are dismissed." She nods, and walks off, slowly. I turn my green eyes to the screen, where a live broadcast will be shown, after the announcers stop talking. We, as Gamemakers, do not sit in the crowd and watch the tributes go by in the streets. We sit in this room, and observe them from the live cameras placed on every corner of the Capitol, and take notes. I tuck one of my black hairs back behind my ear, and take out my notebook and pencil. Suddenly, the anthem blasts through the speakers, and the tributes from District 1 are pulled forward by the prancing chariot horses.

Crimson Night and Velvet Poise are a stunning pair; but polar opposites. Velvet with her shimmering blond hair and dancing blue eyes, dressed in a silver ball gown, with glittering precious stones on every frill. Her already pale skin is spray-painted white, which makes her seem other-worldly, like someone from the Capitol. Crimson has his black hair slicked back, and his seductive grey eyes already convincing the women to sponsor him. His transparent silver suit is the exact same shade of Velvet's dress, and his skin as well. They manage to look beautiful and menacing at the same time, something only Career tributes can do. I would expect nothing less from District 1, and I am not disappointed.

The crowd screams their names, and many roses are thrown their way. And then District 2's chariot is pulled forward, and the people scream even louder.

I ready my pencil for more notes.

The first thing I notice is September Carson's refined and dazzling beauty that has not flaw. But she is not ever paying attention to the crowd; she's staring straight ahead, as if the crowd is not worthy of her gaze. September's face is contorted into a mocking grin, and uncaring eyes. Her flowing dark hair frames her face, with just one curl resting by her chin. She's dressed in a grey body-suit, showing off all of her curves and perfect figure. It covers her from the top of her neck to above her ankles. Every part of the suit is covered with metal-colored gems that flash by themselves. Remarkable, unforgettable. Her district partner though, Marble Roland, is standing next to her awkwardly. He keeps scratching below his neck and behind his head and has a bored expression. Not the usual attitude from a District 2 male, I think. He is two heads taller than September, making the pair look a little off center. Marble's red-brown hair looks like his prep team attempted to style it, but ended in disaster. It looks as though he has just stepped out of bed. Interesting pair; and I look forward to seeing them in the arena.

District 3's tributes are pulled out, with electric yellow horses, and glowing gold-colored reins.

Felix Ramirez and Spider Cretz come out, looking like androids, something stylists haven't attempted before. It's really something. Felix's dark hair is left in its natural state, and one of his brown eyes is covered by a robotic looking…eye patch? There's really no right word to describe it. He's standing tall, and is looking at the crowd with a small, but determined, smile. The android body suit he's wearing is a dark black, with yellow circuits running through it, which are flashing. It complements his coffee colored skin nicely. Spider has small beauty, but it's there. Her face matches Felix's; but it shows that she's making a huge effort to not look nervous. Her brownish hair is in a neat bun, much better than the one at the reaping. Spider's black eyes are glowing, also covered by an android eye patch. Much like District 2, their height difference is noticeable. A big thing to note: they are holding each other's hands. Maybe their mentors are trying the "brother, sister" angle. The crowd does throw a couple roses, that's strange, because usually District 3 is one of the least popular.

But they are soon forgotten, because the District 4 tributes are brought forth by blue horses with fake fins attached their hooves.

The two tributes, Arabella and Toshio, are dressed in giant nets, draped around them like canvases. The District 4 stylists didn't do a good job of displaying the tributes this year, in fact, they never do. But it doesn't matter, because Arabella and Toshio's beauty shows. Her dark hair placed in a high bun, letting the crowd see her pretty face. Toshio's hair looks combed, but other than that, left alone because the messy hair makes him look even sexier. They match in height, and I can't help but notice that they look alike. They look at the crowd as they pass, smiling and waving. Close behind them, come District 5's chariot.

Bronz Monthar and Lilith Green are pulled out, holding hands. I can tell they keep sneaking looks at each other, and it occurs to me that they are attracted to each other. Lilith's red hair is pulled back from her face, in a low ponytail. That allows me to see her stunning outfit, a long blue dress with pictures of DNA on it. The DNA is intertwining on the dress, making shapes and designs I have never seen before. Her shimmering green eyes look frightened at first, but then she looks excited. She starts to laugh and Bronz smiles down at her, and laughs too. His brown hair is pulled back from his blue eyes, styled with many clips.

I take a sip of my hot chocolate just as District 6's chariot follows District 5.

Kamryn Middleton, wearing a short nurse's mini dress complete with a nurse cap, with her black hair hanging straight and to her shoulders. Her green eyes are gleaming with mischief, as she keeps flicking Gingko Wyde, her district partner, in the back of the head. He responds, after fixing his shaggy hair, by almost pushing her completely off the chariot. She steadies herself, and turns to face the people, as though she just noticed they were there. Gingko's white doctor's coat hangs over him, and looks as though it's falling off, because he looks so scrawny. He puts on a confident smirk and looks at the crowd through his large blue eyes.

Then District 7 follows them, with their nut-brown steeds, whose hooves were decorated with leaves.

Alina McKennan's fierce blue eyes is what I notice first. Her face displays no emotion, and she looks at the lights curiously. Her dress is brown; with green vines intertwining around her. It brings out her brown hair, which falls to her shoulders in a straight line. Sam Broomby, with his blond hair, is dressed in the same thing, except his was like a long nightdress. He looks off balance, and grabbed Alina's arm. She turns to him, and glares. She fixes the sleeve he pulled, and turns her gaze back to the lights. District 7 has impressed me this year, because Alina has volunteered, and I took a note to keep an eye on her during the Games. But Sam; totally forgettable.

When District 8 pulled up, I notice the amazing outfits they were wearing. Flowing robes that are a strange maroon color. They have cloth crowns on their heads. I think their names are Paisley and Auberon. Paisley has chocolate hair and friendly looking green eyes. She smiles at the crowd as she passes. Auberon has big puffy red hair, with spikes in the back. Both of their hair is styled, with curly bangs. Auberon doesn't share in Paisley's enthusiasm, he just stares straight ahead. Nice pair, I have a feeling they'll do well.

District 9 strolls forward, their chariot is a metal color, I guess to represent factories. Poe Chelle, looking tiny next to Drace Hallader, is dressed in a grey factory dress, and she has dramatic make-up making her look older. Her honey colored hair is pulled back, with a grey headband. She appears amazed at the sight of the Capitol. Drace seems amused somehow, with a big grin almost hidden by his jet black hair that's amazingly spiky. He's much taller, and broader than her. They both looked energetic, waving and catching roses. The crowd likes them, and I find that I do, too. The excitement continues, because District 10 is pulled forward by black and white horses.

Shockingly, when they come out, I see Callum Leake is crying and his face is completely drenched with tears. Jylynn is trying to comfort him, but she looks on the verge of tears too. They are both wearing cow suits, but on their heads they are wearing headbands with tiny cow ears on it. Behind them, I can see their mentor, Pasture Graze, shaking her head in disappointment. I can't help but feel bad for both of them, but it will be fun seeing how they'll die. Jylynn has her dark hair pulled back in a low ponytail, and there is light make-up on her face. Callum had a bit of eyeliner, that's now dripping down his face. His rotund features are apparent. They pass, and then District 11 comes forward, with orange horses.

This year, the tributes both have fair skin. Usually, they have dark skin, so these tributes must have come from the rich part of District 11. Ellink, who I think is called Link, is dressed in tight brown shorts, and from his neck down he is painted with brown and green swirls. It's quite of weird, at least that's what I think. His brown hair look styled, falling to the side. Gailia Farley, who is much taller than Link, is dressed the same, but has a tight woven bra around her chest. Her sun-streaked blond hair is pulled back from her hazel eyes in a high ponytail. They seem comfortable next to each other, and are happily catching roses as the crowd screams at them.

And bringing up the rear is District 12. I lean back in my chair, and let out a sigh of relief. Almost done.

They follow District 11 in a really black chariot, with jet black horses. Phelan McCallister stands next to Emily Grey, towering over her. They're dressed in the traditional coal miner's uniform, an orange jumpsuit. I see the same thing every year; I wish the stylists would do something different for a change. Phelan's long black hair is hidden under a hard hat, which brings out his light eyes. Emily, who is not a pretty sight, stands with her hands over her ears, as if the crowd was too loud. Her buck teeth are showing through her tiny mouth, making her look like a mole. As soon as they go past, the camera view switches to the President, who is waiting for the tributes to arrive in the City Circle. This is my cue to leave; I never liked listening to his speeches. Clark Revenue, one of the Gamemakers, says something to me as I'm walking through the door,

"Why are you leaving, Jezebel? It's not over." I turn and give him an irritated glance before setting off to find Spinelle. I could use another hot chocolate, because I have a lot of programming to do for the arena. An evil grin appears on my face, the tributes have no idea what kinds of horrors await them in the arena. A laugh escapes me.

I love my job.

**This took me eternity to write! Sorry it took so long! I have a huge headache...but I hope you guys like it! Oh, here's a fun fact: I based Jezebel Jarring off of myself. Because, in a way, I am the Head Gamemaker. :D**

**I added something to this story: Everytime you review, you increase your tribute's chance of winning! So, don't forget to review! **

**~ArtificialLove**


	15. Official Alliance List

**Here is the official list of alliances!**

Career Pack

Crimson Night, D1

Velvet Poise, D1

Marble Roland, D2

September Carson, D2

Arabella Waters, D4

Alina McKennan, D7 **(you'll see why in the next chapter)**

Non-Career Alliance 1

Bronz Monthar, D5

Lilith Green, D5

Jylynn Trivin, D10

Poe Chelle, D9

Non-Career Alliance 2

Felix Ramirez, D3

Spider Cretz, D3

Non-Career Alliance 3

Phelan McCallister, D12

Auberon Falconer, D8

Non-Career Alliance 4

Elink "Link" Lamont, D11

Kamryn Middleton, D6

Lone Wolves

Toshio Greyson, D4

Paisley Hilliard, D8

**Bloodbath Tributes: Gingko Wyde, Drace Hallader, Samuel Broomby, Emily Grey, Callum Leake**

**So, if you have any problems with who I put your tribute with, feel free to PM me. The next chapter will hopefully be out tomorrow, as the training chapter will definitely be a long one. I'm super excited to write the arena chapers, but we gotta get through the pre-Games stuff, y'know? Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, and we're so close to 100! *gasp***

**You guys rock, seriously. **

**~Love**


	16. Training

**Training!**

**POV: The Head Gamemaker, Jezebel Jarring**

Sipping my trademark hot chocolate, I take the elevator down to the gymnasium. Such a tedious thing, training is. I have to sit and monitor twenty-four kids and study them like lab-rats. The elevator doors slide open quickly, and I survey the room before entering it. The same old gym as usual, but with fresh tributes waiting to die. I sigh, and saunter over to the Gamemaker's table, and take a seat in the middle chair. The tributes are just starting to file in, and the first ones I see are Felix Ramirez and Spider Cretz, walking close together. They look around, confused. Then Helga Fibber, the trainer, says to gather around her, so she can give her yearly spiel.

She reads off the list of stations and weapons that they could try out, and then releases them. I have to pay close attention now; I'm always interested to see what the tributes can do. I see a glint of steel out of the corner of my eye, and turn to see Marble Roland, shifting through swords and such. He appears to be looking for something, and then he pulls out a pickaxe. It's not used much, so it's kind of rusty. Marble nods appreciatively and locates a dummy to practice on. I turn my head just as I hear the cheap fabric of the dummy rip open, followed by several more. What catches my eye next is Kamryn and Link talking, laughing. How could they be so friendly to each other, so quickly? Kamryn's face turns serious, and she mutters something. Link nods quickly, and they stare at each other for a little while. What could they be conversing about? Link fixes his glasses, and then they walk to the knot tying station, together. I jot that down, and then move my gaze elsewhere.

At the station that's closest to me, the throwing knives, I see Velvet, Crimson, and September all talking. I'm very close to them, so I can faintly make out their conversation.

"So, don't I look _dashing_?" Crimson says, with a faint laugh. Velvet looks at him, annoyed.

"No, and why do you think we'd care about how you look? And, if you don't mind me saying, you look like a hog." She says, crossing her arms. Crimson puts on an exaggerated hurt expression.

"Shut up, both of you. We must concentrate on training for the arena, and it doesn't matter what you look like." September says suddenly, with an aggravated sigh. Velvet nods to left and says to her,

"Oh, look. District Four is coming over for a chat. How repulsive." I turn to look, and indeed see Arabella Waters slowly making her way over to them. She has her black hair up in a high bun, and is wearing a short blue dress that complements her figure. Velvet mutters something to Crimson that I think was supposed to be funny because he starts to laugh, but September slams her fist into his stomach to quiet him.

"Greetings. I'm Arabella. Though you know that, don't you?" She says, friendly. September nods, but Crimson and Velvet keep looking at each other as though they are sharing a quiet joke between them.

They are quiet for a while, observing the newcomer. It is obvious to me that they are making an alliance, as their districts usually do. But where is Toshio, District 4's male?

"What are your skills?" September asks Arabella, turning her attention to her. Arabella pretends to think for a minute, then replies,

"Nets and tridents. Swimming." She nods, and September walks off to the swords, close to where Marble is. She begins to spar with a trainer, and is swiftly moving without any effort. Impressive.

I watch the edible plants section for a while, where Gailia Farley from District 11 is busy studying a triangle shaped plant. But I quickly lose interest, who could ever be interested in plants? Then I see Alina McKennan, with the daggers. I catch my breath, her skill is amazing. She throws them with such precision, and they always hit their mark. I see that September is watching what Alina is doing, and walks over there, dropping the sword she was holding and it clatters on the floor. I can hear their conversation, but barely.

"I admire your skills. You would be a fine addition to the Career alliance." She doesn't ask though, as if she's expecting Alina to just agree. But Alina looks at her suspiciously with narrowed eyes. It takes a while for her to reply,

"I would like to…join your alliance." September doesn't smile when she says,

"Excellent. I'll see you at lunch." She leaves as quickly as she came. I thank my super-enhanced hearing that I heard that conversation. District 7 is joining the Careers? This will be an intriguing Hunger Games, indeed.

Alina goes back to throwing her knives, and I don't see what I could gain by watching her anymore, so I look at the hand-to-hand combat station, and see Bronz and Lilith from District 5. Bronz looks as if he's trying to teach Lilith how to hold a knife, and giving her a lesson about something. Lilith is nodding eagerly, and is learning quickly. But she ends up looking bored, and they just talk. My suspicions were right, they seem…to enjoy each other's company. I love sappy love stories, so I decide to listen in.

"I wish we were back in District 5. And not here…about to be sent to our deaths." Bronz says, sadly.

"Don't say that. You'll win, I know it. Then you could go back to District 5, to your family." She says quietly. Suddenly, Jylynn Trivin rushes up, with her hands behind her back. Bronz and Lilth look at each other, wearing confused looks. Jylynn hesitates for a moment, before bursting out and saying,

"I want an alliance with you!" It looks like she was saying that to Lilith, and not Bronz. She looks at them expectantly.

"Um, I guess." Lilith says, without waiting for Bronz. He smiles, though, real big while saying,

"Of course! We would love to be your allies!" Jylynn looks stunned, as if she wasn't expecting him to say that. She smiles this time, and laughs nervously. That's when I see Poe Chelle walk up to them, but stumbles a little. So much for the subtle approach. She pushes her brown hair out of her face, before looking at the trio, with nervous eyes. Jylynn picks up on what Poe wants, and I do too. It seems she wants to join them, since the others really aren't ideal allies.

"Would you like to join our alliance as well?" Jylynn says, waiting patiently. Poe looks gratefully at Jylynn and nods.

"Yes, I would, thank you." She smiles sweetly, and looks at Lilith and Bronz. Ah, what a happy looking group. I don't think they'll be so happy in the arena.

Turning my gaze from them, I see Paisley Hilliard deftly throwing spears. An odd weapon for a District 8 girl, but cool to watch. I finally find Toshio Greyson, the District 4 guy, who is working with the trident trainer. I wonder why he decided to fly solo. He doesn't seem to want to join any alliance. Weird.

I find the District 3 tributes, who I now know have formed a district alliance, tying knots. Typical of District 3, spend all day doing something useless. Oddly, there is a layer of blush on Spider's face, but she never once breaks her gaze from the knot she's tying. While Felix is oblivious of her blush, he keeps talking about how amazing he thinks her spider bots are. He then goes on to talk about things he used to tinker with in his old apartment, and I decide not to listen anymore. How boring.

I catch an interesting conversion between Phelan from 12 and Auberon from 8. Auberon says that he wants to speak with Phelan, and they go to the side of the edible plant section to talk.

"I think it would be ideal if we had an alliance. We're similar, and we'd last long together." Auberon says, quietly. Phelan quickly agrees, saying that he thinks the same thing. They begin to talk about the Careers, and about everyone's weaknesses, as well as strengths. They'd make good Gamemakers, it's a shame, really. Making one last note, I notice that I had skipped over some weaklings, and being to write again.

Emily Grey, District 12, is trying out the knives, but the sight scares her and she starts to whimper. I really do detest weak tributes. Callum Leake from District 10 is crying at the camouflage station, because he got some berry juice in his eye. I have to stifle a laugh, and the other Gamemakers look at me funny. I clear my throat, and they look away. Gingko Wyde is slashing a sword through the air, trying to impress September from District 2, but she doesn't give him a second look. How pitiful. Drace Hallader and Samuel Broomby are talking about lady parts, which I find is highly inappropriate, and I stop listening. But I'm glad the weaklings have made some friends, and share interests.

I stand up, just as Helga calls for lunch. There's nothing left to do, so I stalk over to the elevator, glad that the most boring part of the day is over. More programming to do and I have to have a talk with the genetics scientist to see if the mutations are ready to be placed in the arena. I'm always busy, being the Head Gamemaker. Many people had applauded me on the arena, I had designed it myself. Even I was impressed with it, the sheer magnificence of it. The elevator shoots up, and the doors open again. Spinelle is standing there, holding a hot chocolate.

"Thank you." Is all I say, taking a swig as the warm liquid. Just then, an astounding idea registers in my brain.

This may be the greatest Hunger Games ever.

**And what was that astounding idea that Jezebel had? That's for me to know, and for you to find out! :D Anyways, I'm getting a new laptop, so give me a day to set it up and such, with Internet access and things like that. **

**That wasn't as long as I thought it would be, but as always, enjoy! Oh, guys, would you like to know who my favorite tribute is? I thought you guys would like to know. I know I would, if I was in your place. Moving on...the next chapter will be training scores, and then only four chapters until the arena! I hope you guys are excited, 'cause I am! **

**Oh, check out Diddy Dee's story "Ocean Spray"! It's about Mags, and I for one, really like it! Read it, NOW! :D Farewell for now!**

**~Love**


	17. Private Training Scores

**Training scores!**

**POV: The Head Gamemaker, Jezebel Jarring**

I sit at my desk, the paper with the all the tribute training scores in my hand. I look at it again, making sure that it was alright, before giving it to Spinelle, who will give it to the announcers who are ready to broadcast.

**Crimson Night, District 1:** Nine

**Velvet Poise, District 1:** Nine

**Marble Roland, District 2:** Ten

**September Carson, District 2:** Ten

**Felix Ramirez, District 3:** Six

**Spider Cretz, District 3:** Five

**Toshio Greyson, District 4:** Eight

**Arabella Waters, District 4:** Nine

**Bronz Monthar, District 5:** Seven

**Lilith Green, District 5:** Five

**Gingko Wyde, District 6:** Four

**Kamryn Middleton, District 6:** Eight

**Samuel Broomby, District 7:** Three

**Alina McKennan, District 7:** Ten

**Auberon Falconer, District 8:** Seven

**Paisley Hilliard, District 8:** Six

**Drace Hallader, District 9:** Four

**Poe Chelle, District 9:** Five

**Callum Leake, District 10:** Two

**Jylynn Trivin, District 10:** Four

**Link Lamont, District 11:** Nine

**Gailia Farley, District 11:** Five

**Phelan McCallister, District 12:** Eight

**Emily Grey, District 12:** One

I nod my head, pleased with the tribute scores this year. Many weak districts have a big chance this year, it seems. Spinelle enters quietly, and waits for me to hand her the paper. Slowly, I hand it to her, over the desk. Only the interviews are left, and then there is the arena.

I don't think anyone is more excited than me.

**...Has it really been four days? Please forgive my laziness! I got so wrapped up in a book I was reading...well, you know. It was an awesome book, I bawled like a baby at the end! So sad :'(. Aside from that, District 9 Interviews will be next! Look forward to it! ;)**

**My favorite tribute would have to be...Marble Roland of District 2. But that doesn't mean anything! :D**

**WE GOT OVER 100 REVIEWS! *cough* Ahem...sorry. When I saw that, I nearly fell over! I love you people, seriously. I don't know what I'd do without you. (No homo, for those girls out there...) Sorry, I'm weird! **

**~ArtificialLove**


	18. District 9 Interviews

**District 9 Interviews!**

**POV: Poe Chelle**

My mouth drops to the floor, as I see what my outfit is. An amazing floor-length ball gown that's the same color as my eyes: pea green. My honey colored hair is brushed, but otherwise left alone. I turn to my stylist, Timbe Ispell, who has rainbow colored hair and beige eyes.

"Timbe…this dress is stunning." That's the best compliment I could come up with, because I really am at a loss for words. He smiles, and nods; he hasn't really said anything since he greeted me. My prep team has all scattered, claiming that they want to get good seats for the Interviews. I wish my parents could see me now, well they will when I'm on stage, but I want to see them more than anything. I wonder what Faire, my best friend, is doing right now. It would be her in this dress, if I hadn't volunteered for her. Sighing, I allow Timbe to bring me out into the hall and we see Drace, my district partner, who is dress in a ridiculously gaudy golden…_robe_? It definitely is _not_ a sight for sore eyes.

"Hey, Poey. You, you…look bad." He says, trying to insult me. I roll my eyes, he really is stupid. That is the worst insult I've ever heard.

"That's not my name. It's _Poe_. Did you just get out of the bath? Or is that your outfit?" I say, pretending to laugh. He shakes his head and walks away, with his stylist named Napkina. What an odd name. Timbe clears his throat, reminding me of his presence. I nod, and we walk in the direction that Drace went. My dress swishes to the side every time I move, and I really feel like a princess. Smiling, I finally realize that I'm on the stage, and Timbe has abandoned me.

"Move it!" Velvet, from District 1, sneers and pushes past me, going to stand by Crimson Night. I don't think I was standing in her way, why'd she do that? I wave to Jylynn, my new ally, wearing pretty silver tights that are illuminated.

"Poe! You look amazing!" Lilith smiles, looking like a goddess with her titan hair pulled back in a bun with a butterfly clip, and her eyes outlined in black. Her dress is dark green, and knee length, bringing out her green eyes.

"You do too. Nervous?" I smile, as I notice that Bronz is staring at us, but mostly at Lilith. He's wearing a brown suit, nothing special.

"N-Not at all." She attempts a brave smile, and she goes back to Bronz. Shrugging, I go to sit next to Drace, just as Caesar Flickerman tries to calm the crowd. His color is aqua blue this year, his hair, eyes, and lips are all powered with the color. And with that, the Interviews begin.

They go quickly, and before I know it, I'm being called to the stage. I take a deep breath, as I try to calm my nerves. It's a good thing the crowd can't see how badly my legs are shaking, because of my dress. Smoothing my dress, I sit with Caesar, and put on a smile.

"So, Poe, is it? Tell us about yourself." Caesar always wants to ask personal questions, every year. Do I really want to tell him about Faire, and my parents?

"I am from District 9." The crowd laughs hysterically, as if I'd said something funny. Did I? Caesar chuckles a little, and replies,

"We know that, dear. Family, friends? You're such a sweet girl, is it possible you might have a boy friend?" He raises an eyebrow, and looks at me with interest.

"I'm twelve!" I pretend to be aghast, "No, I don't have a boyfriend. I have parents…and my best friend is Faire. I have friends that are boys, too." I think that's a pretty good answer, and that makes my smile grow.

"Well, that's mighty interesting. What do you think about the Capitol? Is everything to your liking?" He replies, looking at me with those odd aqua eyes.

"Yes, it's exactly what I've dreamed it would be like, and more." I say this slowly, making up my sentence as I go along. I also think that it's important to complement the people, in case I need sponsors later on. He nods, and pretends to think of another question. After a moment, he asks,

"Your training score. What do you think about your five?" I twiddle me thumbs together, nervously. In truth, I thought I would get a much better score than that, but alas, I didn't.

"I could have done better." As if on cue, the buzzer rings, and the crowd goes wild with applause.

"Thanks for letting us get to know you. Good luck Poe Chelle, of District 9." As if in a dream, I make my way back to my seat, suddenly feeling the heaviness of my gown. I don't pay attention to Drace, who talks about his imaginary girlfriend and life of glamour in District 9. The last districts finish with their interviews, and the tributes are permitted to leave. Alexander McDowell, my mentor, is at my side immediately. He tells us we have to get to the ninth floor, before we're trampled by people.

We find Drace in the crowd of tributes and mentors, and we're the first to reach the elevators. It shoots up, and we're in the familiar District 9 room. Food is already laid out on the table, but I can't bring myself to sit and eat.

"I'm just going to…sleep." I say quickly, running as fast as I can in my dress to my room, and slamming the door. I'm not angry; I'm just filled with conflicting emotions. The room is dark, so I flip the switch and the shadows are chased away. I take a shower, probably the last time I'll feel warm, and peaceful. Dripping wet, and in a towel, I go back in the bedroom and find a robe. Slipping it on, I lay down on the soft sheets, looking up at the ceiling.

The words 'tomorrow' and 'arena' are echoing in my mind, not letting me forget what tomorrow will bring. Unaware that I had closed my eyes, I fall asleep.

But even in my dreams, I can't escape.

**POV: Drace Hallader**

I sit at the table, where there is a lot of food. Poe just went to bed, probably scared about tomorrow. I'm not, scared, that is.

There's an awkward silence in the room, with no one saying anything. All that can be heard is the clanking of silverware on plates, and the sound of chewing. I can't take this anymore! I shove back in my chair, and head off to my room without looking back at the table. I throw off my dumb gold robe and slip into my bed, wearing my underwear. Even I, someone who never worries, can't help but think about the arena. Then, suddenly, sleep comes.

And even my dreams tell me that I'm going to die tomorrow.

**Yeah, I know that Drace's part of the chapter was really short, but that's because he is a Bloodbath tribute. Plus...I suffer from extreme laziness. :D Anyways, only three chapters 'till the arena! Have other SYOTs ever made it that far? District 10 is next! **

**I'm working on another FanFiction at the moment, and I'm writing a story that won't be posted on this site, so PLEASE don't be angry if it takes me more than two days to update! And, if you didn't know already, I have a life. Sorry, just a writer's rant here...and thanks for all the awesomely amazing reviews!**

**~ArtificialLove**


	19. District 10 Interviews

**District 10 Interviews!**

**POV: Jylynn Trivin**

"Hee hee! Look how pretty am!" I giggle, twirling, in my outfit of a pretty purple top, with my legs covered with black leggings. My stylist, Raven Flock, smiles and gives me a thumbs up. I return the smile, my golden eyes dancing with excitement. If only Glen, my brother, could see me now! He'd be so proud…and so sad, as well. Trying to banish the tears that are forming in my eyes, I follow Raven out into the hallway, where Callum is. He's crying, as usual, which absolutely ruins the light makeup they put around his eyes for him to look dramatic.

"Why are you crying?" I ask sarcastically, because I've asked him that so many times already. He sniffles, and wipes his nose on his sleeve. Oh, he's hopeless. He says absolutely nothing, which is normal, and he just follows me like a lost puppy to the stage. I spot Poe, and wave to her, because she's talking to Lilith. A smile crosses my face, as I remember how kind my allies have been to me. Kindness goes a long way, in my book. Caesar Flickerman is desperately trying to calm the crowd, who are excited for yet another brutal Hunger Games. If only I could see Glen one more time, I'd be able to go to my death peacefully. I shake my head, refusing to think those thoughts. I take a seat next to the blubbering Callum, careful not to get in range of his tears, and try to calm myself as the Interviews begin.

They go by fast, since a tribute only gets three minutes with Caesar. After Drace, Poe's district partner, I'm called to the stage. After a really deep breath, I try to glide to the stage, like one of the beautiful Career girls. Sitting next to Caesar, I put on a relaxed smile, and stare into the blueness of Caesar's hair.

"Jylynn Trivin. Such a cute name, for a cute girl. Tell us, who named you that?" He asks in a level voice. Who named me that? My parents…is that the answer? But my mom is dead, and I don't know who my dad is, and my brother didn't name me, so what should I say?

"I'm pretty sure my parents did. But one is dead, and the other…well, I only have a brother now. What else do you want to know?" A smile plasters itself on my face, and the crowd is looking at me like I'm a sweet, fluffy bunny.

"Well, what are your plans for the arena? You sure do have a lot of competition." He asks slowly, with an interested look on his face.

"I have allies, and we're going to stick together. For as long as we can." I answer truthfully. What else can I do? I push a strand of my brown hair behind my ear, because it managed to escape my purple headband. I swing my feet as I sit, finally relaxing. It's not so bad, once you forget why Caesar's interviewing you.

"That sounds like a fool-proof plan." He smiles. Then we talk about what I think of the Capitol, which doesn't last long. I know my time is almost up, and a frown descends upon me. He asks me one final question: Do you believe you can win the Hunger Games?

"Of course. I have allies, I have strength, and I have faith. That's all you need to win." The buzzer goes off as soon as I say that, and I wonder if they really time it, or if they set the buzzer off when they feel like it. Waving to the crowd, I make my way to my seat, and pass Callum on the way. He's pathetic, I'm sorry.

His interview consists of Caesar trying to ask Callum questions through his sobs. The crowd is silent, staring at Callum like hawks. The buzzer goes off, barely louder than the crying. I sigh, and close my eyes because I got a sudden headache. Raven comes to collect me, because my mentor is nowhere to be found, and we lead Callum up to the District 10 floor. As expected, food is laid out on the table, the Avoxes all carrying in a huge plate. I sit down to eat, to gather strength for tomorrow. But I end up pushing the mashed potatoes and gravy around on my plate, not in the mood to talk or eat.

"You look tired. You should rest, for tomorrow." Raven looks at me sorrowfully; I think she's taken a liking to me. I look up, and give her a small, but sad, smile, and I stalk off to my room. There, I start to cry. It's not normal for me to cry, but who wouldn't, when you know tomorrow you'll be going into Hell? No one should have to go through this. All for what happened forty years ago, nothing we were a part of. Yet we are still punished, for the entertainment of ostentatious people that are nothing like human beings. I wonder if Glen is okay, all alone in our house.

I hold on to the thought of him, and it dries my tears. I fall asleep, and dream that I'm far away from here, from the malicious Capitol filled with freaks. And away from the arena, which I must face tomorrow.

**POV: Callum Leake**

I don't want to cry. I really don't. But I do it anyway, and the tears make my mashed potatoes all soggy. I'd do anything to see Mom, for her to hold me and tell me this isn't happening. But I was never one to fantasize, and I know that this _is_ happening, this _is_ real. Mom's in District 10 with Dad, and they don't have to worry about me anymore. I'm going to die tomorrow, and for what? Because I got reaped. I get up, and run from the table and into my room, when I can find solace, alone and in the dark. Maybe I can pretend I'm at home. Darkness is a familiar place for me.

Still wearing my tuxedo, I tumble into the bed and disappear under the covers. I can hardly breathe, but that doesn't matter. After tomorrow, I won't be breathing anymore.

I ask myself again and again: Why?

**Let us have a moment of silence for Callum, writing his part made me sad...*three seconds later***

**'Kay, on with the author's note! I hope you guys liked it, only two chapters left until the arena! (Thank God!) Happy April Fool's Day! I have no joke prepared for you guys, I'm lacking on creativity these days. Is it me, or does no one update anymore? Hm...I wonder. I updated my profile, if anyone cares. :D Ugh, coming up with all the mentors and stylists myself was a bad idea in hindsight. My brain hurts... D:**

**For those who are still reading, thanks a million, and I'll see ya soon!**

**~ArtificialLove**


	20. District 11 Interviews

**District 11 Interviews!**

**POV: Ellink "Link" Lamont**

This outfit is awesome. I go to the mirror to look one last time; it's really something. My shaggy black hair is covered with a stylish fedora, and I'm wearing a long scarf, and a plaid extremely tight plaid shirt that's covered by a baggy black sweater. The color theme is black and green, which makes me look amazing, and makes my gray glassy eyes come to life. A feel a hand placed on my shoulder, and my stylist named Brew says,

"It's time, cutie." She flashes me an unabashed smile, running her eyes up and down my body in the mirror. I wiggle my eyebrows at her, which makes her laugh, and we walk out into the hall. We meet up with Gailia and her stylist, and then I see that she's wearing an exquisite gown that hugs her body, and flows all the way to her ankles, allowing me to see the glossy green pumps she's wearing. It's sleeveless, and that shows her strong arms and shoulders from longs hours of work in District 11. I give her an appreciative look, and she gives me a frown. What's her problem?

I decide to ignore it, and as we mount the steps to the stage, I see one of the Careers. I think his name is Marble, and he's from…District 2? Anyway, I see a perfect opportunity to trip him. Looking the opposite direction, I hold my foot out, and he comes down with a big _crash! _Marble's tuxedo got messed up in the fall, and he hit his head hard. It takes all my strength to hold in my laugh as he slowly gets up. He glares at me, red-faced, waiting for an explanation.

"I, uh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." My eyebrow kept twitching, and I swiftly walk away, and look back once to see that September is talking to him, and then they both glare at me. Oh, well. Everyone has enemies. I sigh and go sit next to Gailia, because our mentor signals for us to sit down. But my ally comes to visit, right before the Interviews start.

"You look ridiculous, Link." Kamryn laughs, fixing her red top. I shake my head, and reply,

"_You look ridiculous, Link,_" I mock her tone, "Says the one wearing a gaudy red dress. I don't think my outfit's weird. I like it." She looks confused for a second, and then she angrily stomps off to Gingko. As soon as she sits down, Caesar gets the crowd to calm down, and he calls Velvet from District 1. When it got to District 2, and Marble went to the stage and Caesar immediately mentions Marble's little "accident". The crowd laughs, and so do I. The rest fly by, and finally it's my turn. As I get settled, Caesar asks,

"So, Ellink is it? How are you?"

"Call me Link. I'm fine, despite the circumstances. You?" I flashed the crowd a smile, and they laughed for some reason. Caesar smiles too, but it's a little one.

"Link, then. Tell me Link, what are your thoughts on the Capitol? Do you find everything to your liking?" He asks, and gestures to the crowd. I pause, thinking of a good answer.

"Everything's great. No complaints here." I try to look amused, as if I didn't know I was going into the Hunger Games…tomorrow. Bright and early.

"That's great. I'm glad to hear it. Now, please tell us what you think of your amazing outfit. Very unusual…unique, I would say." He nods again, looking at me with approval.

"Oh, my outfit. It's cool, isn't it? It defines who I am, and my quirky style. I used to dress in clothes like this all the time in District 11." I speak the truth when I say this, the outfit rocks. The crowd laughs, and Caesar asks about my family. I shy away from that question, not wanting to talk about my bully of a mother, my quiet father, and my siblings. I wonder what they're doing now, Lydcoan, Lillah, and Lyngra? Probably sitting around the screen, laughing at me. Except Lydcoan, who'd be staring at the wall.

"Tell us about your arena strategy then, your plans?" He asks, knowing he won't get anywhere if he continues to ask me about my family.

"I have an ally I can rely on, though I'm beginning to question that." I flash Kamryn a quick look, and she responds with a frown. The crowd stays silent, their eyes fixed on me as though I'm God. Man, these people have no lives. Caesar looks like he's out of questions for me, and the buzzer goes off. I get up slowly, looking at the crowd with an amused grin. Hopefully they won't forget me. I'm sure Kamryn and I will need sponsors in the arena. With my arms crossed, I watch Gailia's interview without really paying attention. The rest go quickly, because there's really no point in paying attention to them. Without waiting for dismissal, I'm the first to get up, but I'm sucked into the crowd of tributes and mentors, all scurrying for the elevators.

"Link!" I recognize the voice, it's Demeter Hayes, my mentor. I turn, and see that she's already rounded up Gailia, and she motions for the nearest elevator. I nod, and up we go. The first thing I smell is roasting meat, and see fresh chicken being laid out on the table. A tiny voice inside me tells me that I should eat, and get energy for the arena. But I can't bring myself to sit at the same table as Gailia, because tomorrow, she'll be one of the people that'll be trying to kill me. Shaking off that thought, I walk to my room without saying anything.

Can I sleep? I'll soon find out, I think, as I slip into the inviting bed. The answer is yes, I find myself needing rest, and without another thought, I'm asleep.

**POV: Gailia Farley**

As soon as we step off the elevator, Link races off to his room, ignoring the feast that was obviously prepared for us. I guess Demeter will have to eat alone, because I have no intention of eating a meal alone with her. Without hesitation, I stalk off to my room, leaving a confused Demeter behind. I slam the door behind me, because I'm filled with rage. Rage at myself, at the Capitol, and the Hunger Games itself. If only I had some music, I could calm down. But there is none, so my anger will not subside that easily. I my dress off, and it falls to the floor in a sparkly heap. Slinking into the bathroom, I turn the water on, and make it as hot as I can stand it. The water goes down the drain fast, and with it, all the make-up and perfume that made me beautiful tonight. At least I could be beautiful one last time.

I pull on a robe, and turn off the shower. The hot water made me sleepy, and I somehow manage to stalk into the bedroom and fall into the covers.

I think no more about tomorrow, and sleep overtakes my thoughts.

* * *

**I will now use this cool little bar thing to separate the story from my author notes.**

**Ooh, so close to the arena! I can almost taste it... How is everyone? Good? Great. I'll be putting up the next chapter tomorrow, so we can officially start the Games. And for those of you who saw my note, I still want you to submit a tribute to my friend Saku Ryaku's SYOT! For reasons unknown, some of you misunderstood the note and thought it meant that I was deleting the story. I will _never_ do that to you guys. I've come too far to quit now. :)**

**PLAGUE, a new book in the Gone series is coming out tomorrow, so after I submit the next chapter tomorrow, expect a two-day delay. Because...I'll be reading PLAGUE and enjoying it's awesomeness. Wow, long author's note. I like talking to you guys, but it's not really talking. So...I'm talking to myself? GAH, I'm so weird! Bye bye, see ya tomorrow!**

**~Arty**


	21. District 12 Interviews

**District 12 Interviews!**

**POV: Emily Grey**

This outfit is so suffocating! My stylist is trying to cover up every inch of my body, because I heard him mutter that I'm "highly unattractive". What does it matter what I look like? Though I think this, I can't deny how ugly I am, even when I try so hard to cover my buck teeth and lower my eyelids so my eyes don't look so big. The only thing that's working for me is my waist, which because of many years of little eating, is very thin and frail. The outfit itself isn't so bad, it's just very itchy. It's covered with glitter and sparkles that are so pink they hurt my eyes.

"Come on, Emily." Felvo, my stylist, says, not looking at me once. With a little sigh, I follow him out of the room. What's the point of me even having an Interview? It's not like the people care about an ugly District 12 girl. In fact, they never take much interest it District 12 at all. Then we see Phelan, who is dressed in a 'flaming' tuxedo. He looks so nice compared to me, and it makes me feel even more self-conscious. His black hair is neater than mine, and his face more attractive. Why am I picking on myself? Tomorrow, it won't matter much what I look like.

That fact haunts me.

**POV: Phelan McCallister**

Emily comes out, and I can't help but feel bad for her. She's dressed in a hot pink body suit, which doesn't do her justice. I wonder if Felvo dressed her in that as a joke. I give her a weak smile, hoping it will make her feel a little bit better about herself. But she walks ahead, not giving me a second glance. Oh, well. I have bigger things to worry about.

"Ready, pumpkin?" My stylist, Jerdona Quillee, sweetly asks me, but she's the one who looks like a pumpkin. You can't help but notice her rotund features. But I nod my head, and obediently follow her to the stage, where she leaves me. I get the feeling that I'm supposed to go up on the stage, because that's where the other tributes are. Almost immediately, I spot Auberon. He waves me over, with a slight smile on his face. We had gotten acquainted during training, and we were now official allies. When I reached him, I struggled to find something to say, but he beat me to it.

"You look nice. How was your prep team? Mine attacked me, it was horrid." That brought a smile to my face. During training, I learned that he was naturally quiet, like me. We were the perfect team: light on our feet, observant, and good survivalists. We will last long in the arena, is my guess. I responded to his conversation with a little laugh, and a nod, mostly because I didn't know what to say. He nodded back at me, and he walked over to sit next to Paisley, who looks impatient and ready to start the Interviews. I am too, but not for the same reason. With a sigh, I go to sit next to the hot pink disaster that is Emily.

"Let's get these Interviews started! Velvet Poise of District 1!" Caesar calls from the chair he's sitting in, center stage. Velvet, wearing a black polka dotted dress, went to sit by him. Then, the Interviews officially started. It really sucks being the last District, having to sit through all the others and wait for your turn. But three minutes go by fast, and then Caesar is calling me to the stage, right after Emily. Hesitating for only a moment, I go to sit in the chair opposite him. He smiles brightly and says,

"Ah, last but certainly not least, Phelan McCallister of District 12. You've been in the Capitol for a couple of days now. Does anything remind you of home?" He asks, patiently.

Home? The thought crosses my mind. I don't have a home. My parents died in a fire when I was eleven, and ever since then, I've been living on the streets of the Seam. If you could call that living. Nobody in District 12 cares about me, and no one is hoping that I'll return. Even though I've accepted that when I was reaped, the thought still makes me sad.

"The Capitol is much finer than home." I say curtly, as if dismissing the question. I really don't want to talk, and it's not because I'm nervous. It's because I don't want to. Why should I tell the Capitol my private thoughts, and about my personal life?

"Okay, then, what do you like about the Capitol? Surely you must like one thing about it." He coaxes me. I honestly can't think of one thing I like about the Capitol, or its people. So I blurt out,

"It has comfy couches." The crowd bursts out laughing, and it takes a second for it to die down. I could tell that most of the laughter was fake, or forced. I roll my eyes and prepare for the next question. Another minute goes by when Caesar persists in asking me about my family. I remain silent, looking at him as though he were speaking a different language. He does an inward sigh, and asks about any friends I might have. He even asks about a girlfriend. The idea sounds so odd to me that I burst out laughing. He tries to stop me by asking another question, but I'm far from hearing him. Then, my laughter is drowned out by the big buzzer, and the Interviews are over. Quickly, I hop up without a dismissal from Caesar and go to Emily, who looks just as eager as me to get off this stage.

"Let's go." I say to her quickly, just as all the tributes get up to leave. It' impossible to get through the thick crowd, but somehow our mentor, Guff Cleaver, gets through to us. We take the next available elevator, and beat a hasty retreat to the District 12 floor.

"That was insane. It gets crazier every year…" Guff mutters, running his hand through his black hair. He won his Games twenty years ago, with a stroke of luck. I'm just glad that we have a mentor to guide us through everything. Our dinner is put on the table for us, and we begin to eat. It's important to eat this, probably my last savory meal, to build strength for the arena. I have a bad feeling in my stomach, and I can't help but worry about it. We eat the meal in silence.

Hours later, I'm tossing and turning in my bed. I can't sleep, knowing what sleep will bring. In the morning, now only four hours away, Jerdona will prep me for my inevitable doom. What I've been dreading for days has almost arrived.

The arena.

* * *

**Yes, Phelan, the arena. So, we've finally come to the end of the pre-Game chapters. Did everyone enjoy the ride? Because now...we can start the arena chapters! **

**Owie~ I had to go to the hospital today. Stupid me. I was running in Band class, and I slipped on the wet floor and slammed into the lockers. I hit my head, hip, and knee pretty hard. It did damage. IT HURT. Well, after coming home from the doc, I got my new book. But I'm confined to my room, which gave me time to finish this chapter. Lucky you! By the by, I gots a minor concussion. So I think I got a little stupider...Ah, well. **

**After eating much ice cream, I'm beginning to feel better. And, as always, I hope you enjoyed the chappie!**

**~Stupid Arty**


	22. Sixty Seconds

**First arena chapter! Enjoy! :3**

**POV: Kamryn Middleton, District 6**

_It's only a matter of time. _Those words fly through my head, just as my stylist, Milan, shakes me. I'm still in my Capitol bed room, in the same soft sheets. But it's morning. The morning the Hunger Games begin. Groaning, I slide out of bed and up on my feet, standing inches from Milan.

"The hovercraft if waiting. No time to dawdle." He says quietly, with sad eyes. I grew to like Milan these past days, and it's a shame that this is probably the last time I'll ever see him. My black hair is a mess, but Milan grabs my arm and we rush out of the bed room, and into the main room. It's quiet. Too quiet. Then I remember that Ace and Miki are gone, at the Games Headquarters now, where the mentors go. And Gingko…who knows where he is? Probably already in the catacombs under the arena, getting ready for his death. I shake off that thought, and mindlessly follow Milan up to the roof, where a slight breeze is blowing. Is this the last time I'll breathe fresh air? I breathe deeply, and regretfully exhale as the ladder from the hovercraft drops down, and freezes me into place.

"Be still," A soft voice says, just as there's a sharp pain in my forearm. I choke back a curse I was going to scream, just as I regain control of my limbs. The room is empty now, no sign of whoever poked me with the tracking device. It feels weird, and definitely looks weird; making my arm look bigger. Milan appears beside me a few seconds later, and that's when he holds up my arena outfit.

It's fairly simple: A jet black skin-tight shirt (long-sleeved) with lacey designs at the frill. The pants are a exactly the same. For shoes, they gave us brown and sturdy boots that look water proof. The only accessory given to us is a simple brown belt, with many places to store things in. The shirt covers everything on my upper body, except my hands and head. The pants, likewise.

"Hungry? We have breakfast prepared for you…" He trails off, leading me into another room. Indeed, food was on a table. We eat in silence. What could we talk about?

After we eat our silent meal, he offers to fix my hair.

"What's the point? It's just gonna get messed up again." I say, with my usual smirk. But it feels forced, I don't have the heart to be my usually snarky self today. He nods, and we head into the other room again, and sit on a sofa. More silence. I wonder what Milan is thinking. But before I could ask, a polite woman says over an intercom,

"Please prepare for launch." It clicked off, and my heart began to race. I immediately stood up, and glanced at the plate that was going to take me into the arena. Milan nods, and without hesitation, I walk onto it, looking at him with wide eyes.

"I'll be seeing you, Kamryn." He says quietly, as I begin to rise, a tube cutting him off from me. I rise slowly at first, no really knowing what to expect.

Then, darkness.

**POV: Toshio Greyson, District 4**

With no expression, I walk to the plate. I don't even look at my stylist, who is silently crying. True, I have a nervous feeling in my gut. But I know there's no more avoiding the inevitable arena, which I'll be entering in a matter of seconds.

_Wish me luck, Vivian. Your brother's coming home soon. _I think quietly, as darkness surrounds me.

**POV: Velvet Poise, District 1**

There's no need to be scared. Not at all. I smile, closing my eyes and imagining my Victory Ceremony. The blood bath will be very soon, I just can't wait. I've waited long enough. My family is probably watching the screen, waiting for us to ascend to the arena. I just know they're excited, like I am.

In minutes, I'll be slaying the tributes one by one, probably bringing the Hunger Games to an early finish, thanks to my accomplished training. The Capitol people are all waiting to see me, _me_.

_Watch me, _I thought evilly, _watch me as I kill._ Then, I'm rocketed up into the unknown.

**POV: Bronz Monthar, District 5**

_Please,_ I prayed, _please let Lilith make it through this. _

I added another thing to my prayer: _Let Jylynn and Poe make it through this, too_

I know now why I was reaped. So I could protect them. And that's what I plan on doing. But fear still overtakes me, no matter how hard I try to push it away.

_Give me strength. _

**POV: Spider Cretz, District 3**

There's no running away, not this time. After being dressed in the tight outfit, my silent stylist pushes me on the plate and leaves immediately. So much for being supportive and helpful.

The tube encloses me in darkness, and when I look up, there's a distant light.

_This might be the end for Itsy Bitsy Spider…_

**POV: Auberon Falconer, District 8**

Got to make it, got to make it for Hariett. I don't want her to see me die, which is probably going to happen anyway. I wonder how Phelan is feeling. Probably the same as me. Fearful, yet determined. After about a few minutes of darkness, I feel myself lifted up.

And I'm in the arena.

To my left is Emily Grey, District 12, and to my right is September Carson, District 2. _Career. _Not good, not good at all. Then, Claudius Templesmith's voice booms throughout the arena.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Forty-fourth Hunger Games begin!" So it finally begins. In about a minute, the gong will sound. I'm not ready for what I might see, and the chaos that is sure to commence. I look at the Cornucopia, and try to decide what Phelan and I need.

**POV: September Carson, District 2**

Yes, yes! My body is tingling with delight. It has begun. I have spent my _entire_ life training for this! Long, hard days spend out in any weather, snow, rain, or in the heat, training. Never ending lectures about swordplay. And now, is where it all pays off. I remember watching my brother's Hunger Games, and know exactly what to do. I must win the Hunger Games.

_I must win_. I'm a Carson. It's what we do.

**POV: Gingko Wyde, District 6**

For most, this is the beginning. But for me, I know it's the end. I put on a confident look for the whole world to see, but inside, I'm feeling the complete opposite of confident.

Life. It's a precious thing. I don't understand why anyone would want this, these Hunger Games.

For the first time, I see what the arena is. It's dark, so very dark. The sky…is green! All the trees are dead, making hiding in them not possible. The grass is not the usually cheery lime green; it's the color of lichen and dark moss. And I think I just heard I wolf. Great, just great.

While I'm scanning the arena, the gong rings out. Everyone darts for the Cornucopia, and I find myself following them. I barely have any strength, and I'm the last to arrive. I see an interesting back pack that looks useful, and I grab it. But it looks like I was too slow.

I feel a knife thrown into my back, and I collapse to the ground, gasping for air. I only have a split second to turn my head and see who killed me. Standing tall, with a grim expression on her face, is Kamryn.

"You…" I whisper, with a small smile on my face. Killed by my own district partner. Who'd a thought?

**POV: Sam Broomby, District 7**

Gotta run, gotta run real fast!

September is chasing after me, with a double edged sword! I barely managed to snatch a pack from the Cornucopia, before noticing that September was charging after me. Despite my manliness, I let out a scream, because when I looked over my shoulder, see was gaining fast! _Looks like you're gonna get killed by a girl, Sam…_ I tell myself, just as I trip over a dead tree root. Turning on my back, September has a gleeful smile on her face, as she raises the sword above her head, and brings it down.

"Wait, I-"

**POV: Emily Grey, District 12**

This is _not_ good! I'm standing at the Cornucopia, with shaky hands, looking at something to grab and them my plan was to flee. But it's not gonna work out that way, it seems. I barely heard the knife whistle through the air, and my head goes _flying_…

**POV: Marble Roland, District 2**

Stepping over Gingko Wyde's body, I reach for one of the heavy mallets that I know was put there just for me. Who should I kill first? My calculating eyes shift over the crowd of fleeing tributes, and I see that the District 9 boy, Drace, I think, is charging for me. Stupid, doesn't he see I can easily kill him?

With one swift flick of the wrist, the mallet struck Drace's jaw, and I hear the fatal _CRACK._

I guess his neck broke. I sigh, and decide to scout out my allies. I don't see anything else I can do at the moment.

**POV: Crimson Night, District 1**

This arena isn't working out for me at all. Looks like I'll have to stay with my allies ever longer, I'm not spending the night alone in a creepy forest like this. But I'll think about that later.

I grab a knife that was on the ground and look around to see who might have dropped it. Gailia Farley, District 11, is on the ground, clutching her leg and sobbing. I think she broke her leg when she fell. Oh well, I'll just end her suffering. Or maybe prolong it.

"Hello, little miss. Had a bad fall?" I smile evilly, and she looks up at me with desperate eyes. It makes me laugh, and I grab her ankle, and twist. When I hear the crack, and her scream, I decide that I'm getting a little bored. I stab the knife through her cheek, pull it out, and then in the stomach. Pull it out. In the chest, in the neck, in the shoulder. Repeat.

Once I finally decide that she is dead, I wipe as much blood off as I can, and go to look for my allies.

This arena is _really_ freaking me out.

**POV: Callum Leake, District 10**

_Mommy, save me! _I don't want to die! The mean District 4 boy is looming over me, with a spear. He already cut me on my leg, and it hurts so bad! I immediately begin to cry.

"Seriously? You're going to _cry_?" The District 4 boy mocks, raising the spear. He pierces it through my heart.

_The heart that loved you so much, mommy. He killed me._

**POV: Alina McKennan, District 7**

"District 7. We're moving on. Grab what you can, and let's go!" Velvet Poise, my new ally, says, in a commanding voice. I glare at her, but I pick up some packs, and a few knives. Marble, September, and Arabella are arguing about which direction to go. Obviously not the smartest and most well-prepared alliance, huh? I walk over to put in my two cents, to stop their arguing.

"All the tributes seemed to go that way. So the most logical thing to do is go in that direction." I say quietly, and then go back to the Cornucopia to get more supplies. But I can already hear them arguing again.

I sigh. Did they even hear me?

**POV: Link Lamont, District 11**

"Are you okay, Kamryn? You aren't hurt?" I ask quietly, because we're not so far away from the Cornucopia. She nods, and fixes her black hair. I realize there's a smear of blood in it. I decide to not ask her about it.

We both had run up to the Cornucopia, and managed to get two packs each. They each carried the basic essentials: water, crackers, flashlights, weird goggles, flint, and blankets. We're pretty well stocked, but the crackers won't last forever.

With our supplies sorted out, we venture out into the unknown.

**POV: Paisley Hilliard, District 8 **

With one pack, and a few daggers, I decide that I'm pretty well off.

It's been about thirty minutes since I fled the Cornucopia scene, and the screaming. I shake my head, and begin to look for a safe place to set up camp, and to go through my pack. Though the woods I'm in are scary, everything seems peaceful.

For now.

* * *

**Well said, Paisley. Here's a list of the dead, and their killers!**

**DEAD**

**Gingko Wyde, District 6. Killed by Kamryn Middleton, District 6.**

**Emily Grey, District 12. Killed by Arabella Waters, District 4.**

**Callum Leake, District 10. Killed by Toshio Greyson, District 4.**

**Drace Hallader, District 9. Killed by Marble Roland, District 2.**

**Sam Broomby, District 7. Killed by September Carson, District 2.**

**Gailia Farley, District 11. Killed by Crimson Night, District 1.**

**Well, so ends the first arena chapter! Beware, there will be more deaths in the next chapter! So don't get mad if it's your tribute! **

**I was really excited to get this chapter posted. I hope I didn't disappoint everyone, but I tried to make it awesome! I'll go start the next chapter.**

**~Arty **


	23. Interlude

**_Interlude..._**

**POV: Arabella Waters, District 4**

As soon as we had all the supplies sorted out, the cannons went off. I slowly counted them, there were six in all. That means there are eighteen left. It looks like I have a lot of work to do to get back to District 4. I look up and inspect my allies once again.

September and Velvet are in front, leading the way. It seems they're having a silent feud about who's going to be the leader of our pack. Crimson follows, who keeps looking at the sky, which is a sickly green. Marble is right behind him, carrying most of the packs and one mallet that he had picked up at the Cornucopia. Then it's me, carrying one pack and a spear. I'm not the most important member of the Career alliance, and that doesn't bother me in the least. And bringing up the rear is Alina, whom September recruited during training. I'm interested in seeing her skill.

We continued walking for another hour, and the scenery stayed the same; dead trees and the awful mossy green sky and grass. I hope Mom and Dad are watching, and know that I'm alright. _Of course I'm alright,_ I remind myself. I wonder where Toshio is, and I'm still a little angry that he refused to join the Career alliance. Zeala, our mentor, was angry at him too. Suddenly, Velvet's voice breaks through my thoughts.

"We should stop to rest. My feet are killing me." She says tiredly, and stops walking. September narrows her eyes, and the rest of the group prepares for yet another verbal fight between them.

"You're tired already? I say we keep going. We won't accomplish anything if we keep stopping." Velvet sighs angrily and sets her stuff down on the grass, and plops down on the grass herself. I'm in need for a rest myself, but I don't want to make September mad. Crimson sits beside Velvet, and they look up at September defiantly.

"I said we're not resting! Would you risk an ambush from the other tributes?" September says, on the verge of rage. Marble looks annoyed at this little spat. I am too; I don't see what September is so uptight about.

"The other tributes wouldn't dare ambush us. We're the Careers. They're afraid of us." I say, sitting down on the grass myself. It's not all that comfortable. September glares at me, but finally throws the packs she was carrying to the ground, and she sits with her legs crossed. Marble does the same, but still holds the mallet, and stares at it. Alina doesn't join us; she still stands and is leans against a tree, staring at the sky. Crimson and Velvet start talking about something, and he shows her something that looks like a razor, and it looks deathly sharp. I close my eyes and pretend that I'm not in the arena for just a second.

_Mom, Dad, I'm coming home soon. _

**POV: Kamryn Middleton, District 6**

Link and I have finally found the perfect spot to set up our camp. It's in a little grove of dead, pointy trees. We set down our supplies, and pull out two blankets.

"Do you think it's night time yet?" Link asks suddenly, laying down on his blanket. It's been about…three hours since the bloodbath?

"I figure it's around noon time. But I could be wrong." I say quietly, still thinking about Gingko. I hadn't meant to kill him. At the Cornucopia, I heard someone coming up behind me, and I just stabbed whoever it was. _Oh well, he wasn't going to make it anyway…_

Link nods, and closes his eyes. I decide to relax, too. We had made sure to put enough distance between us and the Careers. We don't have to worry about the other tributes, yet.

My eye lids close, sleepily. I never did get enough rest last night. I try to keep myself awake; it's not a smart idea to fall asleep in the arena, especially since my ally might be asleep, too.

But, to no avail. I fall into a troubled sleep.

**POV: Lilith Green, District 5**

"Bronz, I was so scared!" Jylynn exclaims, clutching a knife in her hand. We had barely managed to escape the Cornucopia unscathed. I myself am still shaking, but manage to hold some water bottles that we had found. Bronz looks at Jylynn, with a sympathetic gaze, and we continue.

It has been two harrowing hours in the arena, and I have calmed down yet. I glance over at Poe, to make sure she's alright. She got injured when running from the Cornucopia. It's not a big wound; some Career managed to cut her arm a little. She hasn't complained, but I know it must hurt.

_JoJo, pray for me… _

The forest is not a tall inviting, and Bronz keeps saying that he hears wolves, but I think he's just hallucinating.

"Lilith, I think we should stop…" Jylynn whispers to me, obviously exhausted from the Cornucopia and this two-hour trek we've been on. I nod, and tap Bronz on the shoulder.

"Can we stop for a rest? We're all tired." I smile at him, which makes him smile back. He nods, and we all eagerly drop the things were we carrying.

Now, I can almost swear I can hear wolves…maybe Bronz isn't hallucinating after all.

**POV: Auberon Falconer, District 8**

Silently but surely, Phelan and I head into the dark and looming woods, though it won't give us must protection from the other tributes, in my opinion. We didn't do so well at the Cornucopia. I had a bad fall, and tripped over a tree root. I took Gailia Farley down with me, and she broke her leg. I couldn't do anything for her, so I left her. I wonder if she's okay. I am, it's just my leg's a little sore.

"I suggest we keep going. No doubt the Careers are coming this way." I say quietly, looking at Phelan. He nods, and we start to walk again.

The forest is scary, and I keep looking over my shoulder. Is it just me, or is someone following us…? I shake my head, I'm just being paranoid.

We walk for another hour, and the scenery hasn't changed at all.

"How are you holding up? Are you-" He cuts off, his eyes widening. I furrow my brows in confusion, and realize he's looking at something over my shoulder. I can feel the hairs starting to stand up on the back of my neck, as I turn to see what he's staring at.

_WOLVES! _

"Run, Auberon!" He grabs my hand, and we start to run deeper and deeper into the forest, chased by the beasts, which are effortlessly catching up.

Could this be the end?

**Before anyone comments on how long it took me to update, let me explain. As most of you know, there was something wrong with FanFicion, and it wouldn't let people log in. I wasn't able to log in for three whole days! So, they finally fixed it, and here is the next chapter. :) I sent them many e-mails expressing how angry I was, and that I had a story to update! I used...colorful language, because I was _really_ mad.**

**So, how is everyone? I know I said there would be another death, but I didn't feel like killing anyone in this chapter. So yay! Look forward to the next update!**

**~Arty**


	24. Night Descends

**Night Descends**

**POV: Spider Cretz, District 3**

Having no idea what time it is, is really scary. Felix and I have calculated that it's been approximately six hours since the start of the Games, six terrifying hours filled with the anticipation of death. We occupied our time by sorting through the one pack we got at the Cornucopia. Crackers, water, flint, and a knife. The odds are not in our favor, that's for sure. The hours have also been full of silence, save for the occasional hoot of an owl. Felix and I don't have much to say to each other. But we both managed to escape the Cornucopia alive, and that should account for something, right? Breaking out of my thoughts, I gaze at the path ahead of us. The same winding forest of dead trees surround us, not giving us a clear direction of where we're headed, or what's headed toward us. Uncertainty is what frightens me the most. Regardless of fear or worry, I trudge on, with the hope that maybe I'll be able to return to District 3, and to my family. It's all I have.

"…You okay, Spider?" Felix says suddenly, and I snap to attention. Was I doing something to make him think there's something wrong? I nod before saying,

"Just fine…fine." I break off the conversation quickly; I was never a social butterfly. I see him shrug, and we continue to walk deeper into the dead forest. Without warning, my stomach growls loudly and it sounds like a moaning bear. It's so embarrassing! But Felix just laughs, and hands me the crackers. I silently thank him, and eat greedily of our already dwindling food supply.

**POV: Paisley Hilliard, District 8**

After hours of plotting my strategy, I slip from my bungalow I made by twisting the branches together, and land on the forest floor with a thud. I drink deeply of my water, what's the use of preserving it? I'm right by a stream, I couldn't have picked a better campsite. Faintly, I can hear screaming to the left but it's not getting any closer. Good, I'm not ready to get into the action just yet. But, I really should survey my area. I pick up my spear and an emergency dagger. Leaving the supplies unguarded, knowing no one will take them, I go off to the right away from the screaming. Little did I know I was walking right into a group of tributes, because after a few minutes, I start hearing voices.

"…We're all tired. We should take a rest, Bronz." A level voice says, and the group stops walking. I inch closer and poise behind a tree, and cautiously peer around it. It's the two District 5 tributes and two others. I can't remember their districts, so I toss the thought from my mind. I can't possibly take out all of them, so I pick the weakest looking to attack first, and then a second to take out with my dagger. The short one with shoulder brown hair looks like she'll go down without a fight, so she's the one I'll take out with my spear…and then the other little girl. Wait…They start walking again, and if I'm going to act now's the time. Spear in hand, I give sort of like a war cry and throw it right at girl number one. She looks at me wide-eyed but she quickly screams because my spear flies right through her forehead. _Excellent shot, Paisley_, I praise myself. The cannon fires. As a reflex, I yank the spear out of the girl's head. Her allies look at her with horror, and then their eyes shoot to me. But I'm much faster, as I already have my knife around girl number two's neck. I feel her trembling with fright, it fuels me. I remind myself that this has to be done, as I glide the knife across her throat, killing her as quickly as possible. Before she falls to the ground, her cannon fires with a triumphant boom.

"Jylynn! Poe!" The District 5 girl cries with horror, and she begins to cry almost instantly. The big burly looking guy looks enraged and swings his fist, catching my jaw. I feel the blood seep from my mouth, but I'm already running back to my camp, feeling sure that he can't possibly track me through the twists and turns of the trees. Soon, the sound of the girl's crying fades until completely disappearing.

I sigh with relief, I pulled it off. Two less tributes to be dealt with.

**POV: Bronz Monthar, District 5**

My jaw is stilling hanging open from what I just witnessed. It happened so fast, I wasn't sure that it was real. Lilith is crying next to me, in a heap.

"L-Lilith, we have to go!" I thunder, really unsure as to what to do. She resists when I try to pull her up from the ground. But eventually, we're both standing. We stare at each other, her face tear-stained and mine a mask of shock.

"L-Let's go. So, t-that they can t-take the…the…" Lilith musters out, but I'm already pulling her and the packs out of the area. We're definitely not walking in the direction of the killer that murdered our allies. What should we do? Only hours into the arena, and two of our of allies our dead. Things are going worse than expected. Why must I be faced with these kinds of situations?

**POV: Phelan McCallister, District 12 **

Running, running, gotta keep running. I keep repeating the phrase in my head as Auberon and I run from the wolves, who are currently gaining on us. This is bad, oh, so bad. Why, wolves? I don't know how long we've been running, but my stamina is getting low. I can't keep this up much longer. I glance to the left and see Auberon, keeping pace with me. I admire him in many ways, and I add this one to the list. Being able to keep his calm when being chased by hungry animals.

Another minute passes, and the wolves are gaining progress. I can hear their panting, as well as my own. We are forced to run deeper into the woods, to the point where we might get lost for days. Not good. How the Capitol must be laughing now. How the Head Gamemaker is laughing with the others, patting each other on the back for creating such rabid and yet so entertaining animals.

I can't believe what I'm seeing. Is that a campfire? The reddish glow is growing, like a red inkblot on a piece of paper. We rush into someone's camp, and I recognize District 11 and 6's tributes who had made an alliance. We can't stop to help them…but we can't leave them either, right? I stop, and glance at Auberon. Our decision is made in a split second. We keep running.

If we leave the other tributes there, then the wolves will be preoccupied with them, while we get away. Our plan is as simple as that.

**POV: Alina McKennan, District 7**

By instinct, I know that the sun will set soon. Or the sun should set. So far, I haven't seen a sun, real or imaginary, in this nightmare of an arena. I should ditch the Careers tonight, kill one or two of them, and take as much supplies as I need. It's been my plan all along. The group is silent, which is a very good thing. I had talking, and the sound of someone talking. Already, they're starting to yawn. Another hour or so passes and everyone stops walking simultaneously, and September nods. Which means we're stopping to sleep for the night. Or whatever you call a 'night' in this same-color sky.

"Who's taking first watch?" Crimson asks gruffly, holding back a yawn. For some reason they all look at me suspiciously, then they nod at each other again. It's as if they have a hive mind, acting as the same person, and having a Queen Bee. The Queen Bee is still undecided, Velvet and September are both candidates.

Startling me, the anthem blasts. I had almost forgotten about the death count. I absently stare at the faces of the tributes as they appear. First to appear is the bot from District 6, the toothpick. Then, Sam. I sigh, remember the days I spent with him at the training center and on the chariots…oh, well. Then pops up little Poe Chelle, District 9. Her district partner follows her. So, District 9 got wiped out. Both of District 10. Them, too. Gailia Farley from 11. And last, the little mole girl from District 12. I'm actually surprised that the District 12 guy survived. I guess I'll be running into him later, maybe.

"Let's have District 7 take watch. Prove her loyalty." Velvet yawns and stretches out on the mossy grass. I chew my lip to stop from laughing, 'prove my loyalty'? If you only knew what my plans were. Patiently, I wait for them to fall into slumber. One by one, they drop like flies. In this order: Velvet, Crimson, Arabella, Marble after a while, and then finally September. September took the longest, she stared out into space, glanced at me with alert eyes, and then settled to sleep. I waited to hear the steady breath of sleep before I dared to tiptoe over to the supplies. As quietly as I can, I shift through the packs filling two. I make them almost overflow with food and water bottles, and then I take a spear and two knives. Now to take care of some of them. I weigh my options carefully. Arabella is my first choice, I just never liked her. Velvet would probably scream, so she's out. Crimson, likewise. Marble would snap me in half with the combination of his fists and that pickaxe. Arabella and September are my final decisions.

I crawl over to September, figuring getting rid of her first would be better. But when I put the blade to her throat, a fully-awake voice says loudly, right in my face,

"I know what you're doing, District 7." Her eyes shoot open. "Bad strategy. Don't you think that the sound of my cannon will wake the others up?" I hadn't thought of that. What should I do? The question runs through my head as we stare at each other, my knife still pressed to her throat.

"You're right. I guess I'll just take out Arabella." I say quietly, picking up all of the supplies I had gathered. September watches me with interest. In one swift movement, I fling the knife in Arabella's chest, and she jerks up and screams once. The others immediately stir, but I'm gone already.

"I'll be seeing you, District 7!" I hear September call after me. But I'm not paying attention. I just have to get away, then will be the time for thinking.

**POV: Link Lamont, District 11**

A moment after I hear the sound of running, it quickly disappears. Is someone at our camp? I open my eyes. Oh, I feel asleep. But the sound of panting makes me jump to my feet. The stench is horrible. Oh God, what is that? When I turn to my left, I see what the stench is and I hear the scream for the first time. Kamryn…is being _chewed_ on by the wolves. The sight is horrifying! Terror flows through my brain, as I realize she can't be saved. With a sick feeling, a hearing the sound of ripping flesh and my ally's screaming, I cautiously pick up the packs and back out of the campsite. Kamryn looks at me for the first time, barely visible through the grey and black fur.

"LINK! Help!" It takes everything in me to keep walking, even as I hear her scream my name several more times, and then the screams just _stop._

The wolves don't come after me. Just like I knew they wouldn't.

* * *

**Ooh, death. :D Total of three killed this chapter...I think. Oh, no, four. Sorry, I was in a bad mood so I felt like killing some off. The next few chapters will be about how the other tributes survive for a couple of days. Yay, I have a Chorus trip on Friday so prepare for yet another delay, because I have to practice. The piano. Like, all week. D: But it's at an amusement park, so I'm getting on some monster roller coasters, yay for roller coasters! I'm also reading a new book, and there's lots of testing going on. Thanks for being so understanding, guys! The book I'm reading is "The Tower" by Gregg Andrew Hurtwitz. It's amazing, but I wouldn't recommend it for people under age 14. Some pretty graphic stuff, guys. Long Author's Note, huh?**

**~Arty  
**


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